Charge for Tasting: Yes
Winery Tours: Yes, visit website to make reservations
Wine Price: Reds start at $75
Kenzo Estate Review
Wine Quality: Very good
Tourist Experience: Serene and refined
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Kenzo Estate is the surroundings, well off the casual Napa visitor's path, sitting 1,500 feet in the mountains above the town of Napa.
Tasting options include flights of Kenzo's four wines, named not for the grapes that go into them but instead for a color: their Rindo wine takes its name from a flower that blooms in Japan at the same time as the Napa grape harvest. You can choose from a one-ounce or two-ounce pour of each.
Even more fun - and highly recommended if you'd rather concentrate on the quality of your wine country visit than on the number of places your can pack into a day - for a small extra cost, when you reserve in advance (which is the only way to visit), order sandwiches from Yountville's Bouchon restaurant to pair with your wine-tasting.
During the cooler months, tastings are poured in the small, elegantly-appointed tasting room. In the summer, things move outdoors onto a charming patio - or under a pergola next to the vineyard.
Owner Kenzo Tsujimoto thinks his winery's location is perfect for making great wines, with a fortuitous mix of terroire and expert workers. Perhaps more famous as the chairman of Japan's Capcom Group, he has a deep appreciation for wine and strives to produce the finest vintages as well as a memorable visitor experience.
Interestingly, Kenzo Estate is better known in Japan than in the United States, with production lagging demand for their wines in Tsujimoto's home country. In the USA, your best bet for finding their rare vintages is to visit the winery, where they always keep a supply on hand. Sign up for a Preferred Membership during your visit and you'll get a host of great benefits, including advance notice of new releases and invitations to members-only events.
It's a long-ish drive from the Napa Valley to Kenzo. If you've never been to the area before and want to maximize what you can see, it may take up more time than you'd want to spend on a single visit. If you've been before or are looking for something different, make it the focal point of your day. Once you get to their scenic location, you'll want to linger.
Getting to Kenzo Estate
3200 Monticello RoadKenzo is located east of downtown Napa, about 6 miles out of town.
Napa, CA 94558
877-977-7704
Kenzo Estate Website
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with a complimentary tour for the purpose of reviewing Kenzo Estate. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
