Kenzo Estate Reviews

After 6 days in Napa valley, numerous wine tours and tastings, our time at Kenzo Estate stands as the single greatest experience we had. We had meals at Meadowood, Farmstead, Auberge du Soleil and others, but none of those experiences compared to Kenzo. From the moment we pulled up to the winery, we were greeted with hospitality and perfection (there's no better word to describe this place). I highly recommend the tour and tasting (this is not inexpensive, but well worth the cost). Our guide (I think his name was Dean) was extremely knowledgable about the estate- he went above and beyond to educate us and to make sure we were having a pleasant experience. To start, we were handed the most delicious glass of white wine I've ever had (Asatsuyu), and we were led through the main property and out to the terrace. Here we were encouraged to try different grapes right from the vine while hearing the history of the Kenzo Estate development. Every detail of the property is well designed, and no expense was spared in the making of their deliciously complex, but elegant wines. We toured the wine caves and the other parts of the property, then ended in a private room at the main building. Here we tasted 4 additional wines. I cannot point to a single part of this experience that stands out, because it was all exceptional. This wine will be considered my new "special occasion" wine because of the expense, but I will continue to order from Kenzo in the future.

You must make an appointment for a tour and tasting. If you appreciate high end, perfectly balanced red, white and rose wines, then this winery is not to be missed. These are fine wines which are primarily exported to Japan, as the owner is a successful businessman from Osaka.

the estate is huge, and only a small part is planted, the wine cave is like a tunnel for trains. wine is definitely getting better too.

Wonderful setting deep into Napa Hills. Great wine and host. Very special place. We had a wine tasting in their patio area overlooking all the vineyards. This is a Japanese owned vinyard and very neat

We had one of our best experiences at Kenzo Estate Winery, which was by far one of the most visually appealing vineyards we had visited on our trip to Napa Valley. You experience this from the get-go. At the entrance, a private gate opens upon your arrival. As you slowly drive through the windy path a few miles to the vineyard you experience this spectacular view overlooking acres and acres of lush foliage and vines. Beautiful, extremely clean, meticulous attention to detail, and exudes a sense of elegance in an informal manner. The gentleman who toured us was extremely professional and passionate about his craft. The tasting was relaxing and private, as we went at our own pace. The winery is young, and we look forward to tasting along as Kenzo Estate grows.

We had a work function in Napa and was able to plan a little fun. We took our group to Kenzo for a tasting and they didn't disappoint. The tasting fee is bit high, but was totally worth it. The story behind Kenzo is pretty interesting. I really enjoyed the wines and the views were breath taking! If you have a chance I would highly recommend scheduling a tasting, you will not be disappointed.

The location of this winery is seriously up in the hills so be prepared for a drive! The estate itself is pretty and the tour guide we had was nice enough however for $70 a person the tour was not worth the money. Also, most wineries waive the tasting fee if you purchase, which we all did but not this one. We overpaid in my opinion. We had several experiences with other wineries that far exceeded this one both in value and wine quality. Don't think we'll be back.

It's very private and you can see how much money was put into the estate. It's definitely a high class experience but don't know if it's worth the money. The wines are very nice but the prices are up there with the top wines of the world - hard to compare with 5 year old vineyard

Kenzo is the Disneyland of wineries. Everything is so clean you'll wonder if it was ever used. The landscaping is so perfect you'll kept looking for hidden gardeners. The facility, the equippment, literally everything is the best money can buy. They have it all... except good red wine. Sadly they have a very high elevation, rocky volcanic soil which seems low in nitrogen, age in used barrels and release far too early (likely in a rush to recoop some of their costs). Thus one tastes a very dark and tannic wine. Even with Diane of Chateau Mt. Helena on retainer, the wines are barely drinkable at present. If you have (lots) of money to burn and room in your cellar to lay down unproven bottles for 5 to 10 years it might be worth it otherwise, it's no small wonder they sell mainly to Japan. If the average Japanese citizen knows about Napa Valley wines what I know about sake, Kenzo will do just fine there on reputation alone as the owner was the inventor of Street Fighter and several other games. SKIP THE LUNCH PAIRING while it is from Bouchon in FOODIE Yountville I simply can not understand $40per person for a cold sandwhich, chips and a handful of spring greens. I don't care if they hand made the bread! I want to be FED for that price. We both just looked at each other and said "Really?" We wish we had packed a picnic or stopped at a local store.

Visited and did the full estate tour and tasting in mid June. The hosts were attentive and knowledgeable without being too snobbish. The winery itself was beautifully designed without going over the top and really reflected the surrounding environment well. The food was good and the wine flight was amazing. Though the price was a little steep, it was worth the experience.

This is a must winery to visit for upscale wine lovers. The place is hard to get to but worth the trip. The wines are incredible delicious.

Had a group of eight for a tasting paired with Bouchon sandwiches. It was awesome. The wine was great and lunch was convenient. I would recommend anyone looking for a nice tour and wine tasting to do this visit. Was looking for the group to spend quality time together. This was it.

We decided to visit Kenzo for the first time - mostly because we've been drinking their Rindo wine for several years and wanted to see the place first-hand. Thought it would also be a good chance to try their other wines.

First off, the host was a guy named Ivan who seemed to know all. It's a real pleasure to wine taste and learn something each time. In Ivan's case, he was so well-versed and equipped to not only promote his winery and wine, but he did it in a courteous, professional and experienced way. It made a 2-hour visit seem like a few minutes. The other great thing was he wasn't selling at all - he just gave us good detail and conversation. The wine spoke for itself.

The wine itself was fantastic - not sure if it's good or bad, but I went in thinking I 'might' buy some wine and ended up buying more than planned. :) Definitely was surprised by the Asatsuyu - a sauvignon blanc that was outstanding. First time try on the Murasaki and Asuka as well - both had great depth and flavor. The Asuka was the most dense and structured Cabernet Franc we'd ever had. As with all wine, it's a personal preference so take this as a personal preference - we weren't big fans of the AI that we drank. Could be it's still in the early stages and our taste buds couldn't figure it out. But the other wines we bought were so good it didn't make sense to buy something we weren't entirely sold on. Looking forward to a bit of aging on the recent purchases - I know they'll be fantastic when we finally crack them open.

Kenzo should definitely be on the places to visit - both for the wine, the hosting, and the location. It's not in the normal Napa corridors (off Silverado Trail a few miles) but that was a bonus as well. Less crowded (although it WAS a Wednesday). Definitely a place you'll enjoy.

As you drive through the large gate and travel the winding road on the property to the tasting room you know you are going to have a wonderful wine tasting experience. The tasting room staff was all ready for us with all of the wines already poured for the tasting. We had our own table in the tasting room and we received 1:1 service so we were able to really learn more about this amazing wine. When we finished we were able to walk around some of the property. It was such a wonderful tasting experience.

I have been to Napa several times and I always try new wineries.
I would not have chosen a vineyard with a Japanese name but it was recommended by a chef friend so we decided to go.
The estate is beautiful and intimidating.
The tasting includes one Sauvignon Blanc, Asatsuyu, the blends of red, Rindo and Murasaki and one Cabernet, Ai. I have a preference for cabs so I think the best is the Ai. Then they serve you bouchons from Chef Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery.
Make sure you make an appointment. Also, ask for a discount if you get a case. In other vineyards, they gave us a 10% discount when we bought a case. So when we got a case here, we took it for granted. Only to realise that they did not give us a discount but of course they waived the tasting fee.

this is one of the very best experiences in napa valley...we've been to many and this combines boutique, quaint and on trend...al in one. helps that the guy who owns this also created street fighter :) you won't be disappointed.

We saved the best for last on our recent wine tasting trip to Napa. Absolutely stunning experience with host and tasting manager, Patrick, at Kenzo Estate last week. Patrick was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and personable during our tour. He answered my questions without hesitation and very clearly walked me through each answer. He’s an asset to Kenzo.

We opted for the Bouchon lunch and wine pairing. The food was excellent and the view was serene and romantic. Patrick came by just enough to answer any questions—the pace was excellent.

It was hard to select which wines we wanted to purchase at the end of our tasting as they were all pretty delicious and unique. We felt no pressure to purchase or leave quickly. It was disappointing that I couldn’t get a taste of the sparkling rose despite inquiring (but I took a chance and ordered it anyway). Had I tried it I would have ordered more bottles.

The sei was citrusy and fresh with nice minerality, not too acidic, but still had a nice mouth finish with some tree fruit flavors. Rindo (super blend) was thoughtful and smooth with a pleasant finish. Some herbaceous notes, but was medium-bodied while holding its own…dark fruit upfront with some nice, subtle baking notes. I felt like I could drink it often and purchased a few, wanted a whole case! We also purchase the Murasaki… another one with some merlot, slightly more tannin on my tongue compared to the Rindo. The Murasaki had a fuller, intense flavor—as I general prefer less sweet wines this felt balanced and not overly sweet to my palate so perhaps the earthiness came through stronger for me, a real winner in my book.

It was a pleasure thank you for having uspp.

If you get Patrick as your host, he takes an excellent photo.

Kenzo Tsujimoto, CEO of Capcom, one of the world’s most successful video game publishers, founded Kenzo Estate Winery. His goal, according to our guide, is to become the most important vintner supplying wines to Japan, a rapidly growing market. Wines paired with sushi for our tasting were excellent.

We have been to several winery in Japan, Italy and USA.
This winery was the best we’ve ever visited!!
We could try 4 kind of wine “ai” “asatsuyu” “yui” and “rindo”.
Vine plants are planted orderly at huge area that view was awesome.
It’s little bit far away from other winery but if you have interested in this winery it’s worth trying!!

One of my favorite wineries!! The tranquil beauty of this property is mesmerizing! Our personal tour guide Chip was knowledgeable and friendly. We included the lunch from Bouchron and we think it’s worth it! We highly suggest adding Kenzo to your list!!

This was the priciest winery we visited and the most beautifully arranged. This place shows what an unlimited budget will build. Everything is meticulously planned and laid out so that sight lines, structures, vineyards, and terrain are one harmonious experience. The hundred year+ olive trees are planted in precise rows and the grass underneath trimmed to precision cut. Hire a star wine maker, build a state-of-the-art facility and throw in what appears to be unlimited money - this is a cult wine in the making.

Since Napa's esoteric rules keep the winery from preparing food, the tasting menu is provided by Bouchon. Everything was meticulously planned and executed,. The whole experience seemed more like performance art than a casual tasting.

The wine was good but not the best we had during the week. All in all a good experience.

Aaron gave us a fantastic private tour first thing in the morning on a weekday when we were the only ones there. The winery's story is interesting and inspiring and the wines are uniquely delicious. Highly recommend Kenzo over some of the mainstream popular and crowded wineries.

Four things to sum up Kenzo Estate Winery:

1) This place is owned by the CEO of Capcom. That's pretty cool.

2) The estate is beautiful and probably the largest winery in Napa. The views can be quite exhilarating.

3) It'll take quite a car-trek up a mountain to your gated destination.

4) The tasting, quite frankly, is a little overpriced. The wines they sell is way overpriced.

This was our first stop on our annual Napa trip this year and what a great way to start off our long weekend getaway! The woman who helped us was lovely, the winery is just gorgeous and the the wine, WOW. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Kenzo Estate and will definitely be back. We ordered some wine to be shipped home and purchased a bottle of the Sauv Blanc for dinner out in Napa that evening and it was delicious.

We did the tour and lunch from Bouchon Bakery. What an amazing winery! We first had Kenzo Estate's wine by something of a happy accident a few years ago, and when we decided to visit Napa we made sure we came to Kenzo Estate.

The tour was phenomenal and highly educational. One highlight was actually getting to taste the grapes directly from the vine! That was a first for us. The lunch was also really delicious, and you never feel rushed or feel any sales pressure here. That said, our driver told us he never sees anyone leave Kenzo without a few bottles! I can't wait to visit again in the future, and highly recommend anyone to take their time and visit this winery even if it is out of the way.

It truly is one of a kind.

Loved everything about the experience at Kenzo Estates. First things first. Upon arrival, glass of rosé was waiting for me and my group. The property was huge and charming, the food was simple but delicious and wine was amazing!

We bought the Tour & Tasting with Bouchon Plate, it was fantastic and worth the price. This included an elegant paired luncheon plate and tour of the vineyard and bonus was the wine cellar tour. The whole experience was lovely, had a memorable time.

We scheduled a wine tasting at Kenzo Estate based on the recommendation of a gentlemen that took us on a wine tour in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. We are so pleased that we followed his suggestion.

Erik was an EXCELLENT host and was steeped in knowledge about grape growing, grape harvest, wine making etc. We enjoyed our time with him learning about the "farming" of grapes. We enjoyed seeing the caves where all the wine is stored. We learned about the wine maker, the barrels, grape sorting, and the wait time until the wine is sold etc. We enjoyed learning how the Kenzo Estate came to be. (We would love to be so lucky to have such a beautiful estate. Amazing architecture and landscaping shows evidence of a great deal of planning. For sure the heart and mind are at peace in this lovely location!)

Erik was a personable host throughout our tasting. We were not rushed and felt very relaxed and as if this was a place we had often visited. We felt the wine was excellent - some of the best we had while visiting seven different wineries in Napa. We purchased two bottles for our cellar.

Thank you Kenzo Estate and especially Erik. You are a very nice young man who has many attributes that will make you a success. We wish you well as you return to college this fall.

Excellent experience. Great wine. Wonderful guide who explained the history of the estate and gave us a great tutorial on how the wine was made. BTW the drive up is a thrill a minute. A definite must see.

This should be on your radar. Wines are unusual and all have a story. Plan to spend time learning and growing.

The title says it all. This place is on top of the mountain (past Jarvis) and it's 2 miles from the gate to the winery. In the two miles you'll see beautiful vineyards and views. The inside is peaceful and the guide (Cameron) was friendly, knowledgable and enthusiastic. Wines are a bit pricey but delicious and smooth.

We had just finished a beautiful lunch which had been paired with the Asatsuyu Sauvignon Blanc and were lucky enough to call and were able to get a tasting appointment at the winery. I would do this again and put it last on my list for tastings for the day because it is sooo relaxing. We sat inside with beautiful windows opened to the outdoors and soon there will be tastings on the patio.

Here is a belated thank you for our tour and tasting on July 4th. We enjoyed everything about our experience...the scenery, architecture, origin stories, the wine, and our guide Eric best of all. We had the place to ourselves and were treated so nicely. We are saving our purchases for a special occasion but will be flooded with great memories when we enjoy! Thanks Eric and Kenzo Estate Winery!

We enjoyed winery tour and wine tasting 4kinds of wine such as ‘rindo’,‘ murasaki’ ,’ ai’ and ‘ asatsuyu’ with sanwichs.

Off the beaten path. Owned by a Japanese video game mogul. Those two traits might be enough for the common travelert/"me-too" oenophile to discard Kenzo out-of-hand -- and they will be missing out on one of the best, most unusual experiences in the valley.

Set two miles off an already remote stretch of winding road on a former equestrian estate, Kenzo is situated on lovely, rolling hills. No traffic noise here, just quietude. The winery feels as though it is a world unto itself. A beautiful, calm oasis -- with some of the best wines you'll ever taste.

Of course, the technology is top-shelf here, and the tour guides are not only incredibly smart, they're kind and approachable, too! This was one of the nicest tours I've ever been on, and I indulged in a couple of bottles of the pricey bottles, too. Definitely worth the effort and expense. Top-shelf.

If you go to the Napa Valley, be sure to visit the Kenzo Estate Winery. Even locals did not know much about this premium winery that ships most of its wines to Japan. We were the only ones there for our tasting and were encouraged to stay as long as we like for an outstanding pairing of wines and snacks. We made sure to place an order before we left so we can experience these excellent wines again.

It's a shame that this front for a winery is dripping in excessive attention. Yes, wonderful caves, yes eye pleasing tasting room. But the wine is sub par. Heavy extracted, unbalanced oaking. Confused finish. More attention is need to detail on making Wines of substance rather than trying to produce big fat award winning wines. This growing regions give you the best possible fruit in the world why would you taint it with a style. Too bad. And at 70$ a tasting your can certainly find substance in many other tasting choices in Napa. This will certainly appeal to untrained palates and those looking for style. But the winery fails on all counts. Shame. Another in a long line of people trying to buy their way I to Napa stardom with finances rather than heart or soul.

At first, we were very surprised at the huge estate! It took some minutes by car from the gate to the cellar door.
We tasted some wines and visited vineyards surrounding the main building. It is very sophisticated winery and quite expensive for tasting and wines! (We understand that they hire best winemaker and viticulturist.)

Kenzo Estate is a lovely setting high in the hill tops above Napa. You are greeted and welcomed graciously. Ask to meet Yoriko she is a doll and so sweet. The winery is only 4 miles up the hill from the Silverado Resort and Spa. They do charge a tasting fee and you need a reservation.

A must place to booked a see different style of wine tasting. Beauiful place and we are surely planning to visit again spring or summer time.
Style of wines are unique and taste is very full, not like california wine style.
Highly recommend to give this GEM a try.
I don't want to give more info to ruin the surprise, Just Go..Make Reservation!

Kenzo is a marvelous property with amazing wines and buildings. The presentation is delightful and the wines are very good. I suggest you call ahead and prepare for a roller coaster of a drive from Napa proper to the Vineyard off Atlas Peak. It is definitely worth the adventure

This is definitely a luxurious winery experience. We paid for the tour and lunch special. We tried all of there wine while checking out there amazing wine caves. Ending it all with sandwiches from Buchon and more of there premium wine.

Chris gave us an excellent lesson on how their operations run. We had great lunch which accommodated our Gluten Free guest with delicious wine tasting.
A beautiful Estate with courteous , friendly staff. Definitely worth the visit.

I am quite familiar with Napa and this winery raise the bar high above anything else. If you are a first timer in Napa, be warned that this will blow ur mind away and no other wineries will be the same anymore.

Very exclusive and by appointment only. The scene along the 2 mile driveway to the estate is already breath taking. Amazing 4000 arces of land that u need to hike 5 hours to the edges of the property.

Story behind the estate was not only fascinating but amazing. How much detail Mr. Kenzo Tsujimoto (CEO of Capcom, biggest video game company) has put in the architecture of the estate and the winetasting with names of the wine engraved on the glass just blow ur mind away.

Chic, modern, classy and fun this winery is absolutely the best of the best. Tastings are priced at USD 75 and wines range from low USD 80 to high USD 270 a bottle. U will not negotiate becuz they r so so good. They are created by the join effort of the wine industry elites Mr. David Abreu and winemaker Heidi Barret. No questions asked they r the fine fine wines at Napa.

If u r in a rush at Napa ... definitely do not go. I love it becuz I have been in Napa enough to casually spend a good morning of 3 hours there enjoying the wine, the view, the property and just the breathe of air.

Will visit again and again.

Really enjoyed a personal wine tasting session in a beautiful winery located up in the Atlas Mountains of Napa. The white and cabs were so fantastic, my wife order a case to be shipped home. We received it within a week of arriving home. Make an appointment if you are interested visiting.