Robert Biale Vineyards
Zinfandel and Petite Sirah on Big Ranch Road, tasted by appointment on the back porch.
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Big Ranch Road runs north out of Napa between vineyards, and Robert Biale Vineyards sits at number 4038, a winery that has built its reputation on Zinfandel and Petite Sirah rather than the Cabernet that dominates the valley. George Urquiola is the chamber's contact. The winery bills itself as Napa's premier producer of those two grapes, with a portfolio of about twenty wines that also takes in Barbera, Sangiovese and other Italian varietals, and it describes its founders as part farmers, part winemakers and part historic preservation society.
The wines and the Black Chicken
The winery's story goes back to the 1940s, when a teenage member of the founding family sold homemade Zinfandel to Napa neighbours alongside eggs and produce, and the code words on the party-line telephone for a jug of wine were "a Black Chicken". Black Chicken Zinfandel is now the flagship, and the wine club is called the Black Chicken Society. The winery lists the following ways to taste and buy:
- The Valley Vista tasting, a seated experience by appointment
- The Estate Experience, with a barrel sample, offered Friday through Monday mornings
- The Black Chicken Society wine club, with member allocations
- An online shop that ships wine
- Events at the winery
Planning a visit
Tastings are by appointment, so book on the winery's visit page before you drive out; walk-ins are not the model here. Tasting fees apply and are shown at booking, and club members should ask what their membership waives. Say how many are in your party, whether anyone is under twenty-one, and whether you are combining the visit with other wineries on Big Ranch Road so timing works. If you plan to ship wine home, check your state's rules first. Groups larger than six should call rather than book online.
Napa's northern edge
The winery is a few miles north of downtown Napa and south of Yountville, reached from Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail via Oak Knoll Avenue. Visitors come from Napa, American Canyon, Yountville, Saint Helena, Sonoma, Vallejo, Fairfield and Calistoga, and from the Bay Area for the day.
Call 707-257-7555 or book at biale.com, which also links the winery's Facebook and Instagram pages.
Servicios
VerificadoThe winery’s specialty: a portfolio of about twenty wines led by Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, with Barbera, Sangiovese and other Italian varietals alongside, made in Napa.
A seated tasting by appointment on the winery’s back porch looking over the vineyard, the standard visit for first-time guests; the fee is shown at booking.
A longer appointment offered Friday through Monday mornings that adds a barrel sample to the tasting, for visitors who want to see how the wines are made.
The winery’s membership club, named for the family’s old code word for a jug of Zinfandel, with wine allocations and member benefits at the tasting room.
Wines can be bought on biale.com and shipped to states that allow direct shipment; check your state’s rules before ordering.
The winery lists events on its site, from club gatherings to seasonal releases; dates and booking details are published on biale.com.
Detalles
Ubicación y zona de servicio
Napa, CA 94558-1405
Preguntas frecuentes
Típico de este tipo de negocioDo I need an appointment?
Yes. The winery lists its tastings as by appointment, daily from 10 am to 3 pm, with the Estate Experience on Friday through Monday mornings. Book on the visit page at biale.com.
What does a tasting cost?
Tasting fees are shown on the winery’s visit page when you book, and differ between the Valley Vista tasting and the Estate Experience. Ask whether a purchase or club membership waives the fee.
Can I bring a group?
Small parties book online. For larger groups, call 707-257-7555 to ask about capacity and whether a private experience is available.
Can the winery ship wine to me?
The online shop ships to states that permit direct-to-consumer wine shipping. Check your state’s rules and the winery’s shipping page before ordering.
Antes de contratar
- Book a tasting on biale.com before driving out
- Check the fee for the tasting you choose and what a purchase or membership waives
- Call ahead for groups larger than six
- Confirm your state allows direct wine shipment before ordering online
- Allow time between appointments if visiting other Big Ranch Road wineries
Resumen en español
Robert Biale Vineyards es una bodega de Napa, en Big Ranch Road, dedicada sobre todo al Zinfandel y al Petite Sirah, con unos veinte vinos que también incluyen variedades italianas como Barbera y Sangiovese. Su vino insignia, Black Chicken Zinfandel, toma el nombre de la contraseña que la familia fundadora usaba en los años cuarenta para vender vino casero, y el club de socios se llama Black Chicken Society. Las catas son con cita previa todos los días y se reservan en biale.com; también vende y envía vino en línea. Teléfono 707-257-7555.
Los datos marcados como verificados se comprobaron el 29 de septiembre de 2026 con biale.com. Los demás datos vienen de registros comerciales públicos o describen lo típico de este tipo de negocio, según se indica. El negocio aún no los ha confirmado.
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