2025 Pearl 2 Star Prestige: 25 Wineries Worth Your Time

Domaine Chandon has anchored Yountville's wine country since its first vintage in 1976, establishing the Carneros corridor as a credible address for méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine long before the valley's Cabernet reputation calcified. Under winemaker Pauline Lhote and recognised with a Pearl 2 Star Prestige award in 2025, the estate operates as both a serious sparkling producer and one of the Napa Valley's most visited tasting destinations.

Jacquart's German operation in Grafschaft carries the Reims house's maison identity into the heart of Europe, working under winemaker Floriane Eznack and earning a Pearl 2 Star Prestige recognition in 2025. Founded in 1962, the house occupies a distinct tier among Champagne producers with a German footprint, positioning itself between the large négociant houses and smaller grower operations. For those tracing premium Champagne in central Europe, Grafschaft is a credible address.

A Provençal estate with roots stretching back to 1970, Château Miraval sits in the Correns valley and has earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025 under the stewardship of winemaker Marc Perrin. The property occupies a quieter register than most high-profile French wine estates, letting the limestone and clay soils of the Var do the talking across its range.

Château de l'Aumérade has produced Sauternes-appellation sweet wines from Barsac since its first recorded vintage in 1740, placing it among the appellation's longest-standing producers. Winemaker Fabienne Fabre oversees a program recognised with a Pearl 2 Star Prestige award in 2025. The estate sits on the left bank of the Garonne, where the confluence of morning mist and afternoon sun defines the botrytis conditions that shape every harvest.

Château de Selle in Barsac carries a first vintage dating to 1940 and a 2025 Pearl 2 Star Prestige award, placing it among the appellation's most decorated producers. Under winemaker Jean-Pierre Perrin, the estate operates within Barsac's tradition of noble rot wines that rival Sauternes in complexity while retaining a lighter register. A visit here is a study in how place, patience, and precision converge in one of Bordeaux's most specific appellations.

Established in 1876, Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena is the oldest continuously operating winery on Napa's storied Main Street corridor. The Rhine House, a slate-spired Victorian manor listed on the National Register of Historic Places, anchors a visit that spans both architectural heritage and a serious barrel-aging program under winemaker Mark Beringer. Pearl 2 Star Prestige recognition in 2025 confirms its continued standing among California's serious producers.

Operating since 1994, Sunstone Winery on North Refugio Road in Santa Ynez has earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating (2025) under winemaker Brittany Rice. The property sits within a Santa Barbara County wine corridor where estate character and post-harvest decisions define the tier. For visitors planning a Santa Ynez wine route, Sunstone represents one of the valley's more decorated stops.

A five-star Relais & Châteaux property in the Var countryside, Château de Berne has been producing wine since 1780 and holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025. Winemaker Alexis Cornu oversees a Provençal estate that sits roughly an hour from Cannes, combining a luxury hotel and spa with serious viticultural credentials in one of southern France's most characterful wine territories.

Rusack Vineyards has operated out of Ballard Canyon since 1987, placing it among Santa Ynez Valley's longer-established estates. Under winemaker Steve Gerbac, the property holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025. For visitors to Solvang, it represents a grounded entry point into the canyon's distinct terroir and the broader Santa Barbara County wine conversation.

Storm Wines is a small-production winery in Los Olivos, Santa Barbara County, operated by winemaker Ernst Storm since its first vintage in 2006. Awarded Pearl 2 Star Prestige recognition in 2025, the project sits within a peer set of low-intervention, terroir-focused producers that have reshaped Santa Ynez Valley's reputation over the past two decades. Visiting requires advance planning; the address on San Marcos Avenue serves a direct-to-consumer, appointment-oriented model typical of the area's most sought-after small houses.

Rutherford Hill Winery has operated from its hillside address on Rutherford Hill Road since its first vintage in 1976, placing it among Napa Valley's longer-established estates. Under winemaker Marisa Taylor, the property holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025. The winery sits within the Rutherford appellation, one of the valley's most closely watched Cabernet Franc and Merlot addresses.

Château de Brégançon has produced wine from its Var coastline estate since 1970, with Guillaume and Matthieu Lobre now overseeing a program that earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025. The property sits in the Bormes-les-Mimosas corridor, where the Mediterranean proximity and Provençal soils shape a distinctive house style. For anyone exploring the region's serious wine addresses, Brégançon belongs in the conversation.

Austin Hope Winery has been producing Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon from its Live Oak Road estate since 2000, earning a Pearl 2 Star Prestige recognition in 2025. Winemaker Austin Hope has built a program around the Westside's calcareous soils and diurnal temperature swings, positioning the label among Paso Robles' serious Bordeaux-focused producers. The winery is a logical anchor for any structured tour of the region's upper tier.

Ram's Gate Winery sits at the southern end of the Sonoma Valley, where the Carneros fog line shapes the growing season as much as any winemaking decision. Under winemaker Joe Nielsen, the estate has built a program rooted in the cooler end of the appellation, earning a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025. Its first vintage dates to 2010, placing it among the more considered entrants in California's recent wave of estate-focused producers.

Bergstrom Wines has been shaping the Dundee Hills conversation around Burgundian-informed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since its first vintage in 1999. Winemaker Josh Bergstrom trained in Burgundy, and that formation shows in wines built for restraint and site expression rather than market weight. Visits are by appointment only at their Worden Hill Road address, and the operation carries a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025.

A 13th-century Tuscan castle replicated stone by stone in Napa Valley's northern reaches, Castello di Amorosa holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025 and has produced wine under winemaker Brooks Painter since its first vintage in 2003. The property sits at the quieter, geothermally warmed end of the valley near Calistoga, where the tasting experience is as much about architecture and place as it is about the wine in the glass.

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery has operated out of Healdsburg's Dry Creek Valley since its first vintage in 1987, building a sustained reputation across Sonoma's premium tier. The estate earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025 under winemaker Sarah Quider. Its Dry Creek Road address places it within one of California's most focused appellations for Zinfandel and white Rhône varieties.

Château de Bellet is a Provençal winery operating within one of France's smallest and least-replicated appellations, Bellet, on the hillsides above Nice. Under winemaker Ghislain de Charnacé, the domaine earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025, placing it among the Côte d'Azur's most formally recognised producers. The address — Chemin de Saquier, Nice — anchors it firmly in the limestone and schist terrain that defines Bellet's character.

V. Sattui has operated from its St. Helena address on White Lane since its first vintage in 1975, placing it among the older continuously operating estate wineries in Napa Valley. Under winemaker Brooks Painter, the property holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025. The winery sits within the broader St. Helena corridor, where Cabernet-dominant estates define the area's premium identity.

HALL Wines St. Helena holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating from EP Club (2025), placing it among the upper tier of Napa Valley estate producers. With a first vintage dating to 1995 and winemaker Megan Gunderson at the helm, the property operates from a prominent Highway 29 address in the heart of St. Helena wine country, producing Cabernet-focused wines that draw consistent critical recognition.

Gustafson Family Vineyards sits at Dry Creek Valley's highest elevation, where winemaker Emmett Reed crafts ultra-premium wines from volcanic soils while guests enjoy panoramic views across Lake Sonoma and the Mayacamas Mountains from this intimate family estate.

SAMsARA Wine Co. has operated out of Goleta since 2002, earning a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025 under winemaker Matt Brady. The project sits within Santa Barbara County's broader tradition of small-production, terroir-focused winemaking, and its two-decade track record places it among the more established names in the area's independent winery tier.

Château de Roquefort is a Provençal winery based in Taradeau with a documented history stretching back to 1827. Winemaker Raimond de Villeneuve holds the estate within a tradition of long-established southern French viticulture, and the domaine earned a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025. It sits within a peer set defined by sustained family stewardship and regionally rooted winemaking.

Château de Saint-Martin sits in the Var hills outside La Motte, where winemaker Adeline de Barry works with the region's limestone-threaded soils and Provençal climate to produce wines that carry the fingerprints of this specific terrain. The estate holds a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating for 2025, placing it among the more formally recognised addresses in southern French wine country.

Long Shadows Winery has operated from Walla Walla's Frenchtown Road since its first vintage in 2004, earning a Pearl 2 Star Prestige rating in 2025 under winemaker Gilles Nicault. The project sits at the premium end of Washington State's collaborative winemaking tradition, drawing on European-trained talent to produce structured reds with the Columbia Valley's characteristic fruit weight and acidity.