The Brown Estate Winery in Napa Valley is the area’s first Black-owned winery and is one of the many wineries I had on my list to visit on my dream trip to Napa Valley.
Established in 1996, the winery has remained a family affair since its inception.
The family’s journey is inspiring: in 1980, the parents bought a ranch that grew grapes for local winemakers. By 1995, the siblings took the bold step of producing their own wine, laying the foundation for what is now the Brown brand.
In 2017, the winery opened a tasting room to welcome even more visitors, enhancing its accessibility.
The Brown Estate has built a strong reputation for its warm hospitality and commitment to promoting diversity in the wine industry—an experience I was eager to have.
In this blog post, I’ll briefly recap my experience at the Brown Estate Winery in Napa Valley.
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About the Brown Estate Winery in Napa Valley
The Brown Estate is a Black family-owned business with roots dating back to 1980 when the family began selling and distributing zinfandel grapes to local farmers.
In 1997, the Brown siblings produced their first bottle of wine and officially named their label the Brown Estate.
In the early 2000s, the family faced a setback when a fire damaged their wine storage warehouse. Despite this challenge, the winery persevered and has since become a thriving brand, continually expanding its reach and reputation in the wine industry.
Source: In the Beginning Medium Article
Address + Location of the Winery
The winery is located in Downtown Napa, a lively area filled with boutique shops, art galleries, and acclaimed restaurants.
Its scenic riverfront and thriving wine culture make it the perfect location, as you’ll have much to discover even after your time at the winery.
Finding the Brown Estate Winery in Downtown Napa proved to be a bit of a challenge, as it’s tucked behind a narrow light brown door, and the bright Napa Valley sun transforms the logo into a translucent icon with faint lettering of the address written toward the bottom.
We passed the entrance door several times before finally noticing it.
Once inside, a welcoming sign reassured us we were in the right place, and we were excited to discover the world of wine awaiting us upstairs.
Address: 1005 Coombs St, Napa, CA 94559, United States
Inside the Brown Estate Winery in Napa Valley
The interior of Brown Estate in Napa exudes warmth and sophistication, blending rustic charm with contemporary elegance.
Exposed wooden accents and rich earth tones create an inviting atmosphere. At the same time, large windows bathe the space in natural light, showcasing the streets of Downtown Napa all from the safety of this thoughtfully curated space.
The tasting room features a curated selection of artwork and stylish furnishings, providing a cozy and chic setting for guests to enjoy their exceptional wines.
Every corner of the tasting room incorporates touches of the Brown brand, showcasing their commitment to making the Brown winery a truly immersive experience.
I immediately fell in love with the space, with the bar area being my absolute favorite, decorated with its marble countertop and elegant yet subtle decor features.
Even more distinctive is the table brimming with books exploring progressive and liberal themes, such as feminism, African narratives, and powerful stories penned by Black authors.
The Brown Estate excels at creating a cozy environment for family and friends to gather and bond over wine.
Wine Tasting Offerings
The Brown Estate offers both paired and flight tasting experiences you can choose from their menu.
We chose to do a flight tasting experience, in which we had two menus with different wines to choose from and opted for the Zinapalooza Flight, and added a small cheese board to our order.
Cost Breakdown:
- Zinapalooza Flight: $55
- Small Cheese Board: $35
TOTAL: $90
Flight Tasting Experience Recap
During our flight tasting experience, our assigned wine educator walked us through each item on the cheese board and patiently explained the thought behind the selection and curation of each wine.
Through this experience, I learned that the Brown Estate mainly specializes in red wines.
As a fan of white wine, I was a bit nervous about trying reds, but I found that I enjoyed most of them, even though a few were a bit too bitter for my taste.
Seeing as how we arrived at the Brown Estate without a reservation, I was very pleased with how we were taken care of and accommodated since there were other guests in the tasting room.
You can visit the website here to view different times and dates the tasting room is open.
When you find yourself in Napa, make sure to include the Brown Estate winery in Napa Valley on your itinerary—it’s a gem that deserves a spot on every wine lover’s list.
Cheers to unforgettable moments and Black-owned wines.
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If you’ve visited the Brown Estate before, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it or if I managed to convince you to visit!
