If you’ve reached this page, chances are, you’re in the military. Thank you for your service! Please help me keep this page updated by commenting below if any of this information is outdated; this list was complied from 2014-2020 (last updated January 2020). Also, please help others out and share your favorite Napa wineries in the comments below!
You might also be interested in my blog on my Napa Food Tour or How to Save $100,000 in the military by age 31. This technique works for both the enlisted and officer professions. I digress…
Here are 15 Napa Wineries that give Military Discounts:
1. St. Supery – free tasting and 20% off your purchase
I’m so excited to post that St. Supery now gives military discounts! I’ve been a wine club member here since 2015, and they’ve been my favorite Napa winery for years but didn’t give military discounts until now. My favorite wines are their Dollarhide Savignon Blanc, Elu, Virtu and Rose, and Josh’s favorite is their Petite Verdot. They have an on-site organic garden, and their food is every bit as amazing as their wines. But, the only way to try their food is through their food and wine pairings, so if you want to splurge a little, definitely book their Chef’s Table experience.
2. Chateau Montelena – free tasting
Napa gained worldwide recognition when Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay won the Judgment of Paris in 1976. In this blind taste test, it beat all the French whites in their home country, shocking the judges and the wine world. Their Chardonnay tastes more Burgundian than Californian and lacks the big, oaky, buttery characteristics that most Napa Chardonnays have. So, if you’re a fan of French whites, you’ll love their Chardonnay! If you want to learn more about the Judgment of Paris and Napa history, I recommend “Judgment of Paris,” by George M Taber.
3. Frank Family Vineyards – 2 for 1 tasting
Their tasting is in small group format, so you’ll need to book an appointment in advance. The owner, Rich Frank, was the former president of Disney Studios. I grew up a Disney fan and am now a huge fan of their wines. We loved their wines so much that we are seriously contemplating getting a membership here.
4. Robert Mondavi – free glass of wine
Robert Mondavi is credited for putting Napa on the map, and no Napa vacation is complete without a visit to Mondavi. At first, I wasn’t super excited about visiting this winery because of how commercialized it is, but I’m SO glad we did. Their tour was very informative about Napa history, and the grounds are beautiful. We’ve made numerous visits here and enjoy a glass with cheese on the patio followed by a flight of their finest reserve wines in the To Kalon Room.
5. Grgich Hills Estate – free tasting
Another iconic Napa winery is Grgich Hills Estate. Mike Grgich started out as a winemaker for several famous Napa wineries, to include Mondavi, but eventually branched off on his own. He gained international recognition as the Chateau Montelena winemaker when their Chardonnay beat all French whites during the Judgment of Paris in 1976.
6. Mumm Napa – free tour and sparkling wine tasting
Mumm is my favorite winery for bubbly. You get a free tour, which includes a tasting, and 30% off any additional purchases! If you’re a fan of sparkling wine, you can also try Domaine Carneros and Domaine Chandon.
7. Rombauer Vineyards – free tasting
Josh loves buttery Chardonnay. Like pour it over your popcorn buttery. The best place to go for that kind of Chardonnay is Rombauer. They are also one of the few wineries that have Zinfandels. Both their reds and their whites are amazing.
8. Monticello Vineyards – free tasting
Monticello is a smaller, family owned and operated winery, so that makes them unique on this list. Most of the other wineries listed are large and commercial. Family owned wineries are great because their tasting room associates really take the time to educate you on their wines (if they aren’t too busy), and you might even get to meet the owners.
9. Peju – free tasting
An unexpected part of Peju was our wine rep, Alan! His rapping/singing kept us entertained and engaged. See for yourself:
10. V Sattui Winery – free tastings reported discontinued 2019
V. Sattui is beautiful, and they have plenty of wines to choose from. They have lots of tours that roll through, so it can get crowded. During the summer, they are open until 6pm, where as most Napa wineries close at 5pm. I’d recommend visiting earlier in the day to avoid the crowd that shows up at 5pm looking to stretch out their day (guilty of doing this myself).
11. Cakebread Cellars – free tasting
Their tastings are done in small group format, so make sure to book an appointment. I remember them pouring 3 reds and 3 whites and really liking their Chardonnay.
12. Beaulieu Vineyard – free tasting
Also known as BV. You can find this brand at almost any grocery store, but like Mondavi, they produce wines on a wide quality spectrum. This iconic Napa winery was one few to survive prohibition by selling sacramental wine in the 1920s and 30s.
13. Beringer Vineyards – free glass of wine
My friend Rhia and I did the Taste of Beringer Tour, which is how we discovered the free glass of wine for military members. The Taste of Beringer Tour includes a tour of the grounds and a food and wine pairing in their Rhine House. I always prefer food/wine pairings over just a straight up wine tasting because food really enhances the wine if paired correctly. I enjoyed the pairings here but recommend the Chef’s Table experience at St. Supery if you are going to splurge on a food/wine pairing.
14. Raymond Vineyards – 10% discount (eventually got a membership here)
Not much of a discount here, but their experiences and member benefits are pretty cool. We eventually became wine club members at Raymond, giving us free tastings and discounted experiences. Our favorite experience was “Winemaker for a Day,” where we got to create our own Bordeaux style blend. Right after we got married, we booked this experience and bottled two different blends. We planned on opening one on our one year anniversary (but never got around to it yet lol) and plan on opening the other on our five year anniversary. Raymond keeps your blend recipe on file, so you can order extra bottles at anytime! I have yet to attend any of their members only events, but I hear they throw one hell of a Halloween party.
15. Domaine Chandon – 20% discount
Another place for bubbly. They let us keep our glasses here.
I hope you enjoy your Napa trip! If you want to learn more about wine before you go, I recommend “The Everyday Guide to Wines of California,” by The Great Courses, hosted by Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan, Master of Wine.
Not free, but worth the visit. Honorable Mention:
Silver Oak – discontinued free tastings in 2017
Silver Oak only makes Cabs, and theirs are my favorite. I wish I had bought more of their 2012 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon while I was visiting. They used to give complementary tastings to military members but discontinued it in 2017. Regardless of whether or not they bring back the free tastings, I think their Cabs are awesome, and they are worth a visit.
I have to say that the “Mom” wine is still the best! I believe it was Fantasia wine…Amazing how your mother-in-law and I chose the same exact wine to be the best!
That wine is one I recommend to all women out there who don’t particular care for alcohol.
Author
The wine you’re talking about is La Fantasia from Castello di Amorosa. It’s only 7% alcohol, so it’s a great starter wine for those who don’t usually drink alcohol.
We’ll be visiting Napa again this summer, so I’ll pick up a bottle for you! Now you’ll HAVE to visit me 🙂
Hello,
I am currently serving in the British Army, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this. Myself and my partner are currently travelling around California. We visited Mumm, V Satturi, Cakebread and Peju. We received free tastings in all and a free tour in Mumm plus 30% off any purchases. Great day and so much savings.
Thanks again.
Author
I’m so happy it helped you! Hope you enjoyed the tastings and tours 🙂 Hopefully I’ll get to vacation in the UK soon!
So, dependents (wives) also get a free tasting?
Hi! I remember Mumm, Mondavi, Chateau Montelena and Frank Family Vineyards giving dependents free tastings or discounts.
Hello!
Thanks for the list! Did they offer tasting for both the member and spouse? How long would you say each tasting lasts?
THANK YOU!
Author
Hi Lauren, great questions!
Unfortunately, I’m not sure if they comp tastings for the spouse too, but I’ll be visiting a few wineries next month, so I’ll definitely ask.
The amount of time each tasting lasts varies. If the winery isn’t busy and pours 4 different wines, it can be as quick as 20 minutes, but I would say 30-45 mins is average. Cakebread and Mumm are more educational than the other tastings, so they each run about an hour.
Some wineries require appointments, so when we are booking our appointments, we allocate 1-1.5 hours per winery (not including transit time) and book 3-4 appointments per day.
Hello! Thanks for the great post. Were you ever able to find out if these discounts are extended to spouses as well? My husband and I are going together next week 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Carly, hopefully I’m not too late with this reply. The wineries I know of that extend to military spouses are Mumm, Mondavi, Frank Family Vineyard and Chateau Montelena. The others might, but the only ones I’ve had experience with are the ones I mentioned. If you know of any others, please let me know, thanks!
Went to Black Stallion Winery today and they were very generous with a free tasting AND a 35% discount on purchases for military. Incredible and appreciated!
Thanks for sharing!
The wineries that offer military discount and you need an appt for, how do I get the military discount? I don’t see an option when I reserve online. Maybe I have to call. Does anyone know?
Thanks
Hi Ruby,
You’ll need to call to make the appointment if you can’t book it online. Some wineries change their policy over time, so it’s a good idea to ask if they still give active duty military discounts when you book your appointment.
Do you know if its only active duty or retirees?
Sorry, I’m not sure if it applies to retirees.
Is this for active military only or does the discounts apply for veterans as well?
Sorry, I’m not sure if they apply to veterans.
Awesome list! Thank you so much for sharing!! I found everything extremely accurate. Cakebread Cellars is appointment only for those interested. : )
Thanks for the feedback. Hope you had a great Napa trip!
My retired Navy husband and I just returned from No CA. The following offered free tastings:
Charles Krug
Foley Sonoma
Chateau Montelena
Peju
Grgich
Mumm Napa
Beringer: we each got a free glass of wine
No military discount at all:
Castello di Amorosa
Gloria Ferrer
ViSattui
Thank you so much for your input! I didn’t know V Sattui stopped their free tastings 🙁
Thank you so much for sharing! My army veteran husband and I are planning our anniversary trip to northern CA and I am soooo excited. I’ll share my updates should there be any. Thanks again!!
Liz