Best Tasting Room 2026

1. Black Star Farms | Traverse City, MI

In Northern Michigan wine country, Black Star Farms welcomes guests to a contemporary tasting room framed by vineyards and stables. Flights highlight estate-grown wines poured by hosts who share each vintage's story and connection to the land. Seasonal bites from the on-site café enhance the experience, while the team's focus on authenticity, education and sustainability reinforces its community spirit.

2. Oliver Winery | Bloomington, IN

Located in Bloomington, Indiana, Oliver Winery offers a warm, welcoming tasting room perfect for wine enthusiasts of all levels. Guests can explore a wide variety of wines, from crisp whites to full-bodied reds, in a casual, friendly atmosphere. The estate's scenic grounds provide the perfect backdrop for outdoor tastings or relaxing with friends. Seasonal events and expert staff make each visit a memorable experience.

3. Wilson Creek Winery | Temecula, CA

Set amid Temecula's rolling vineyards, Wilson Creek's tasting room offers a warm, family-friendly experience complete with gardens, patios and a Creekside Grille restaurant. Visitors can enjoy guided tastings of reserve wines in the upstairs library, stroll manicured grounds and sample their famous Almond Sparkling Wine. With event spaces, picnic areas and live music, Wilson Creek blends relaxed hospitality with comprehensive wine country amenities.

4. Willamette Valley Vineyards | Turner, OR

The Estate Tasting Room in Turner, Oregon, invites guests to explore Willamette Valley's signature Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Beyond tastings, the property hosts tours, seasonal events, and dining experiences led by Chef DJ MacIntyre. Founded in 1983 by Jim Bernau and owned by more than 20,000 wine enthusiasts, the winery embodies community and sustainability. Its estate vineyards are LIVE and Salmon-Safe certified, reflecting an enduring commitment to stewardship and innovation in Oregon winemaking.

5. Alexandria Nicole Cellars | Heaven Hills, WA

Set in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, Alexandria Nicole Cellars offers a lush, cozy tasting room where guests can explore elegant wines, including Carménère and Viognier. The intimate setting allows for personalized attention, with staff guiding visitors through thoughtfully curated flights. On-site tiny houses provide the opportunity to stay overnight among the vineyards, enhancing the immersive experience. Alexandria Nicole Cellars combines approachable hospitality with high-quality wines, making every visit memorable and engaging.

6. St. Francis Vineyards | Santa Rosa, CA

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards in Sonoma elevates the tasting-room experience with food-and-wine pairings crafted by award-winning chefs. Guests explore estate wines alongside small bites designed to complement each varietal's flavor profile. Family-owned for more than 50 years, St. Francis blends culinary artistry with hospitality rooted in community and sustainability. With elegant surroundings, attentive staff and thoughtfully paired offerings, it delivers a premier destination for foodies and wine enthusiasts seeking an immersive, multi-sensory experience.

7. Failla | St. Helena, CA

At Failla, winemaker Ehren Jordan invites guests into a relaxed yet sophisticated tasting of cool-climate wines. Visitors sip Pinot Noir and other estate selections in hillside caves or cozy lodges, guided through the nuances of site and style. Rooted in a "hands-on farming, hands-off winemaking" philosophy, Failla's small team channels curiosity, craft and the belief that great wines speak for themselves.

8. Messina Hof | Fredericksburg, TX

Founded in 1977, Messina Hof is one of Texas' pioneering family-owned wineries, now led by second-generation winemakers Paul Mitchell and Karen Bonarrigo. Guests at the Fredericksburg tasting room enjoy curated flights, hands-on experiences and the state's most awarded wines. A veteran-owned estate, its Museum Collection supports the National Museum of the Pacific War, blending hospitality, history and craftsmanship in every pour.

9. L'Ecole Nº 41 | Lowden, WA

Nestled in Walla Walla, Washington, L'Ecole No. 41 combines historic charm with world-class wine. The tasting room, set in a beautifully preserved 1890s schoolhouse, invites guests to enjoy elegant Washington State wines. Staff guide visitors through tasting flights that showcase the estate's bold reds and refined whites. With an emphasis on education and hospitality, each visit feels personal, engaging and memorable, perfect for both casual sippers and seasoned oenophiles.

10. Margerum Winery | Santa Barbara, CA

Margerum Winery in Santa Barbara offers a contemporary tasting room with stylish, inviting design. Guests explore small-lot, estate-grown wines—Chardonnay, Syrah, and Rhône-style blends—while enjoying a curated food menu on the heated patio. Located in the heart of the Funk Zone, the atmosphere is laid-back yet refined, open seven days a week. With approachable staff, handcrafted wines and strong community ties through charitable partnerships, Margerum delivers an experience rooted in authenticity and Santa Barbara spirit.

FINALISTS
Long Shadows | Walla Walla, WA
Melville Winery | Santa Barbara, CA
Sequoia Grove | Napa, CA
Sullivan Rutherford Estate | St. Helena, CA
Tsillan Cellars | Lake Chelan, WA

About Newsweek Readers' Choice™ Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readers.choice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

Pam & Gary Baker

Pam and Gary Baker are freelance food, wine, and travel writers living in Northern California. They have written for local, national, and international publications including WineTraveler, BBC Travel, LuxeBeat, Best Wineries, Wander with Wonder, and more. Pam is also the former editor of Sacramento Lifestyle Magazine. They love train travel, small ship sailing, and exploring wine regions throughout the world. Follow their adventures at pamandgarybaker.com.

Gavin Booth

Gavin Booth of coupleinthekitchen.com specializes in recipe development, all things grilling, food- and wine-based travel and romantic destinations of the world. He has extensive travel experience, visiting all 50 U.S. states and over 40 countries. He's a full-time recipe developer, photographer, videographer and writer.

Debbra Dunning Brouillette

Debbra Dunning Brouillette has always been a tropical girl. Like a fish out of water, she was born and raised in the Midwest, but Florida vacations opened her world to sun, sand and turquoise water. On her first Caribbean trip, a snorkeling excursion introduced her to the incredible world that exists below the surface of the sea. The fish out of water was hooked. As a certified scuba diver, she enjoys exploring the reefs but also loves visiting aquariums. She is also a self-described "foodie" and enjoys savoring the food and wine wherever her travels take her. Follow her at tropicaltravelgirl.com.

Mary Farah

Mary Farah is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. In addition to her own website, Along Comes Mary, she contributes to Go World Travel Magazine; Food, Wine Travel Magazine; Ventura County Mom Collective; and Big Blend Radio Magazine. She is a proud member and former executive board member of IFWTWA, the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. Follow along with her adventures on her website, www.alongcomesmaryblog.com.

Laurie Jo Miller Farr

An award-winning contributor to luxury lifestyle and travel magazines, Laurie Jo Miller Farr specializes in deluxe hotels and destination marketing. Based in New York City, she is a dual U.S./U.K. citizen, having spent half a lifetime in London. Formerly serving as the tourism promotion director for the city's official tourism boards in both NYC and Boston, she recently relocated from San Francisco, where she edited a weekly travel newsletter and co-hosted a podcast. Follow her @lauriejmfarr.

Amy Piper

Amy Piper is a freelance travel writer, blogger, photographer and author specializing in luxury and multigenerational travel. She is a native Michigander who travels through the lens of a food lover and has been to 45 states and 41 countries around the world. From getting chased by bomb-sniffing dogs in the middle of the night in Bogotá to being boarding on her plane from Buenos Aires to Paraguay due to the wrong visa, Amy always has an exciting adventure to tell her readers and community of travel enthusiasts. Learn more at followthepiper.com.

Jill Robbins

Jill Robbins is an expert writer focusing on family and adventure travel as well as practical tips to help everyone get the most value out of their vacation experience. Jill's work has appeared in AAA Texas, Southern Living, Business Insider, Fodor's Travel and more. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and two sons, but she's usually somewhere else. Learn more about her travels at www.jillgoes.com.

Jacky Runice

When Jacky took her first flight at age 17 to Spain, she hadn't stepped a foot outside of Chicago. As a broadcast journalist for 20 years, she always managed to bring her travels back to her Chicago audience with radio documentaries about the culture and characters of places she visited. She transitioned to print journalism (syndicated travel column via Tribune Media Services and Travel Columnist for the Daily Herald Chicago) and then to the web where she has written for numerous outlets such as CBS, LuxuryHotels.com, Examiner.com, AOL, USA Today and others. Follow her on Facebook.

Penny Sadler

Penny Sadler is a freelance writer covering wine, food, travel and lifestyle topics. Currently residing in the Lone Star State, her glass is always full, preferably of something white and sparkling. Her work has appeared in Culture Cheese Magazine, Cheese Professor, Matador Network, Inside Hook, Alcohol Professor, Vintner Project, and elsewhere. Penny has appeared on numerous broadcasts as an expert on topics ranging from wine tourism to skin cancer to packing for international travel. She is a Wine Spirits Education Trust certified wine specialist and a member of SATW. Read more at www.adventuresofacarryon.com.

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions...the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure. Learn more at MikesRoadTrip.com.

Robin Smith

Robin O'Neal Smith is a freelance writer covering food, travel, wine and lifestyle topics. A "foodie," she enjoys savoring the food and wine wherever her travels take her and finding the hidden gems in destinations to share with her readers. She resides in Pennsylvania, and her work has appeared in Potomac Lifestyle, Travel Awaits, She Buys Travel, Extended Weekend Getaways and many others. Robin has appeared on various podcasts as an expert on travel topics. She is a TravMedia member and serves on the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association board. Follow her adventures at robinonealsmith.com.

Aly Walansky

Aly Walansky writes regularly about food news and trends. She has been a food journalist for over twenty years and has covered everything from budget shopping to recipes to culinary travel content for national publications that include the Food Network, Southern Living, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, The Kitchn and more. She was ranked among top 10 journalists of 2023 and top 10 freelance journalists in 2024, as well as #1 food journalist of 2022, by Muck Rack. Follow her at alywalansky.substack.com.

Nancy Zaffaro

Nancy Zaffaro is a writer, editor and photographer. She covers arts, culture, travel and the outdoors and also writes fiction. She is the Editor of ConfettiTravelCafe.com, and her work has appeared in print and online for numerous publications and media outlets. She travels locally throughout the Pacific Northwest, nationally and to far-flung international locales. When not traveling, she's active in her community and enjoys hiking, kayaking, yoga and spending time with friends and family. Originally from Chicago, she's also lived in Vancouver, British Columbia and Bellingham, Washington. She's currently based in Portland, Oregon.

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.