Fortunati Vineyards
Oak Know District, Napa Valley, California
Where Napa Feels Like Home
đź“ŤLOCATION
Napa Valley
đź“… APPOINTMENT
Required
đź’°PRICE RANGE
$36-150
🍇 WINE CLUB
Yes
🍷SIGNATURE WINES Pinot Noir • Cabernet
WHY I LOVE FORTUNATI VINEYARDS
I found Fortunati through Gary Thompson during COVID, when we were planning a trip to Napa and looking for somewhere to stay that wasn’t a hotel. Gary knew Ellen and Gary Luchtel had an apartment above the tasting room and connected me with Ellen. Even though I wasn’t a wine club member yet, the apartment was available and she graciously rented it to us.
That first stay turned into something much bigger. I’ve now stayed at Fortunati at least six times, joined the wine club and attended two of their club parties. Set among the vineyards in Napa’s Oak Knoll District, it has become one of those places where I immediately feel comfortable when I arrive.
And then there are the wines. The Fortivo Bordeaux-style blend is a favorite, but honestly, there isn’t a weak spot in the lineup. Chardonnay, RosĂ©, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon—and even a fabulous Port. This is a winery where I genuinely enjoy exploring the entire portfolio.
The tasting room is beautiful, the atmosphere is relaxed, and if you’re lucky, you may even meet London and Haley, the family’s German Shepherd rescues. I’ve also had Gary join us for tastings a few times, which inevitably turns into conversations about wine, farming and our shared Midwestern roots.
Fortunati is small, family-owned and increasingly earning recognition for its wines. But what keeps me coming back is simpler than that: beautiful wines, genuine hospitality and the kind of place I look forward to returning to every time I’m in Napa.
WINE DIVA FAVORITES
The bottles I reach for, recommend and happily make room for in my cellar.
Fortunati Pinot Noir
Santa Rita Hills
My favorite Pinot Noir.
More body than your typical Pinot, with a smooth, silky style that makes it incredibly versatile. This is one of those bottles I can put on the table with almost anything we’re having.
Fortunati Pranzo Estate Rosé
Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley
My summer patio pounder.
Light, refreshing and ridiculously easy to enjoy. This is the bottle I want chilled and ready when it’s warm outside and we’re settling in on the patio.
Fortunati Fortivo
Napa Valley
My any-night-of-the-week red.
Fortunati’s Bordeaux-style blend and one of my go-to reds. Approachable enough for a casual weeknight, but good enough that opening it never feels ordinary.
THE EXPERIENCE
A tasting at Fortunati feels wonderfully relaxed. Set in the middle of the vineyards in Napa’s Oak Knoll District, the beautiful tasting room feels polished without ever feeling formal. It’s the kind of place where you can settle in, ask questions and really spend time getting to know the wines.
Because Fortunati is a small, family-owned winery, the experience feels personal. There’s an opportunity to learn—not just about what’s in your glass, but about the vineyard, farming and the decisions that go into making each wine. I’ve been lucky enough to have Gary join us for tastings over the years, and those conversations are part of what makes Fortunati so special to me.
And then there are London and Haley, the family’s German Shepherd rescues, who may just make an appearance. Between the vineyard setting, the warm hospitality and a lineup of wines that makes it very easy to linger, Fortunati is one of those Napa stops where you’ll be glad you didn’t rush off to the next appointment.
INSIDER TIPS
What I’d tell a friend before they visit
BEFORE YOU GO
Reservations required. Plan ahead.
Fortunati is a small, family-owned winery and tastings are by appointment. They’re closed on Mondays, so make your reservation in advance and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the experience.
THE WINE DIVA TIP
Get up for the balloons.
If you’re lucky enough to stay in the apartment above the tasting room, don’t sleep in. Make a cup of coffee and head outside early to watch the hot air balloons rise over Napa Valley and float past the vineyards. It’s absolutely worth getting up early.
DON’T MISS
Explore beyond Cabernet.
Napa may be Cabernet country, but Fortunati has so much more to discover. Their Zinfandel is fabulous, and the Pinot Noir, Rosé and Fortivo are favorites of mine. And don’t overlook the Port. This is one winery where I’d happily taste through the entire lineup.
PERFECT FOR
Who will love this winery
WINE EXPLORERS
An impressive lineup beyond Cabernet
RELAXED TASTERS
Beautiful wine without the formality
SMALL WINERY LOVERS
Personal, family-owned and welcoming
RETURN NAPA VISITORS
The kind of place you’ll want to come back to
Pair Your Visit
Make a day of it
LUNCH
A longtime Napa favorite for Italian food and a beautiful wine-country lunch. Close enough to Fortunati to make the pairing easy without spending your day driving up and down the valley.
DINNER
A casual neighborhood Italian spot in north Napa and one I’ve enjoyed with Gary and Bill. Great food without the fuss—the kind of place that feels just right after a day of wine tasting.
STAY
The Apartment at Fortunati
If it’s available to wine club members, stay right above the tasting room and wake up among the vineyards. Bonus: morning coffee with those Napa hot air balloons.
NEARBY WINERY
A small-production favorite nearby, where winemaker Ian Devereux White personally hosts every tasting at the gazebo overlooking Nancy’s Vineyard. He’s a one-man band in the best possible way, making this another wonderfully personal Napa experience.
Shop the Experience
Bring a little of the Wine Diva life home
THE GLASS
Riedel 001 Cabernet Glass
The big boy. Fortunati uses Riedel glassware, and the oversized 001 Cabernet glass makes an impression. Generous, dramatic and exactly the kind of glass you want when pouring a beautiful Napa Cabernet.
THE WINE TOOL
Professional Waiter’s Corkscrew
Simple, classic and gets the job done. Fortunati uses a custom professional corkscrew with their logo, and it’s a good reminder that sometimes the best wine tool is the one professionals reach for every day.
THE BOTTLE
Fortunati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
The bottle for when Tuesday night Fortivo isn’t enough. A beautiful step up in the Fortunati lineup and the bottle I’d choose when the evening calls for something a little more special.
THE LUXURY EXTRA
Wine Dogs California
For the wine lover who also loves dogs. Haley and London have their own moment on the cover of Wine Dogs California, making this the perfect coffee-table souvenir for anyone who falls for Fortunati’s four-legged welcoming committee.
GALLERY
Scenes from my visits
THE WINE DIVA VERDICT
My Final Word
Fortunati is one of those Napa discoveries that became part of my Napa story.
What started as a place to stay during COVID turned into a winery I’ve returned to again and again. I’ve stayed above the tasting room, watched hot air balloons float over the vineyards with my morning coffee, attended club parties, shared tastings and conversations with Gary, and found more than a few Fortunati wines that have earned permanent places in my cellar.
The wines deserve the recognition they’re receiving, but Fortunati never feels like it’s trying too hard to impress you. It’s comfortable, personal and genuine. You can settle in, learn something, drink beautiful wine and remember why visiting small, family-owned wineries can be one of the best parts of Napa Valley.
THE WINE DIVA STANDARD
Come for the wine. Don’t be surprised if you start feeling at home.
WINE DIVA SCORECARD
Wine Quality — 5/5
Hospitality — 5/5
Experience — 5/5
Value — 4.5/5
Return Visit? — Absolutely
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Ready to experience it for yourself?
VISIT FORTUNATI VINEYARDS →