Welcome to LOLA

Why Most Napa Wineries Feel the Same — And Why LOLA Doesn't

Napa Valley produces some of the greatest wines in the world. But the tasting experience has become increasingly uniform. Book in advance, pay $100 or more, sit through a structured tasting, and taste mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, guided by a polished but scripted experience.

There is nothing wrong with that. But many wine drinkers are looking for something more personal, more relaxed, and more affordable.

That is what LOLA was built to be.

Founded in 2008 by winemaker Seth Cripe, LOLA has spent nearly two decades doing things differently. Smaller batches, lower prices, rarer grapes, and a tasting room that feels like visiting a family rather than a production. The wines are fresh, bright, and alive, made to be enjoyed, not just admired.

Does LOLA Make Cabernet? Yes — But Differently

LOLA makes Cabernet Sauvignon, but not in the typical Napa Valley style. Sourced from 60-year-old dry-farmed vines in Calistoga, it is restrained and mineral-driven, with freshness and structure instead of heavy oak and extraction. It is a Napa Cabernet designed for balance, not power.

But LOLA was never built around Cabernet. It was built around curiosity. Today, that curiosity has grown into one of the most diverse portfolios in Napa Valley, with 21 varieties from some of the region’s most unique vineyards, all made with minimal intervention.

The LOLA portfolio includes:

• Whites: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Albariño, Vermentino, Malvasia Bianca, Fiano, Melon de Bourgogne, Sémillon, Dry Muscat, Riesling

• Rosé: Rosé of Counoise, Rosé of Pinot Noir

• Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Counoise, Charbono, Petit Verdot

Twenty-one varieties. Organically farmed. Small batch. Tasted in a restored historic house in Calistoga.

If you are looking for a Napa Valley winery that goes beyond Cabernet — where white wines matter just as much and rare grapes are part of the experience — LOLA offers something genuinely different.

The Tasting Experience: What "Different" Actually Looks Like

When people ask what it's like to visit LOLA, the word that comes up most often — in reviews, in press coverage, in conversations at the tasting table — is authentic. Not authentic in the way luxury hospitality uses the word, as a design aesthetic. Authentic in the way that means: this is a real family, making real wine, in a real house, and they genuinely want you to be here.

The LOLA House is a Victorian home built in 1892. It has a fireplace. It has original art on the walls — collected and curated by Seth and his wife Rafaela over years of living with these wines. It has a lush garden patio shaded by palm trees, reggae music in background, where guests sit and taste and talk and occasionally lose track of time entirely.

The tasting is $35 per person. In a valley where $100+ tastings have become routine, this is not a small thing. It is a deliberate statement about who LOLA's wines are for — everyone who loves wine, not just those with the budget for a luxury experience. And the fee is waived entirely with the purchase of 3 and + bottles, which means that if you love what's in your glass, your afternoon was essentially free.

You taste five wines. They are chosen seasonally, rotating with what Seth is most excited about in a given moment. Your host — often a member of the LOLA family — talks to you about the vineyards, the vintages, the grapes, and the thinking behind each pour. There is no script. There is no upsell. There is just the pleasure of being around people who care deeply about what's in the glass and want you to care too.

And then there is the food.

What Guests Say About Finding LOLA

The reviews written by LOLA visitors have a quality that is hard to manufacture and impossible to fake (5 stars on google): they all sound surprised. Not disappointed-surprised, but delighted-surprised. The surprise of finding something you were hoping existed but had stopped believing you would find.

• "One of the best wineries in Napa. A hidden gem that completely exceeded our expectations."

• "We saved the best for last. This place made a permanent spot on our list of wineries to visit whenever we're in Napa."

• "Boutique winery done absolutely right. No pretense, no script, just wonderful wine and people who clearly love what they do."

• "If you're looking for the true heart of wine country — relaxation, immaculate vibes, charm with zero pretense, and some of the best wines around — look no further."

The critics agree too. The New York Times called LOLA "intriguing," praising its willingness to make wines like Muscat and Chenin Blanc alongside the expected California classics. Vinous Media noted that the wines are "fresh, bright, and made without a lot of fanfare — ideal for casual drinking." The San Francisco Chronicle says LOLA's wines are "uncommonly vibrant," possessing "a quality that's rare to find in Napa: affordability." They also consider LOLA House has one of the best 25 wineries in the bay area, every year since 2022.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate summarized it simply: the LOLA wines "uniformly possess a healthy dose of natural acid, taste bright and invigorating, and are relatively affordable."

Who LOLA Is For

LOLA is for the wine lover who has been to Napa Valley and left feeling like a tourist in a polished, predictable experience.

It is for the person who prefers white wine and has been told Napa is not for them.

It is for the curious drinker who wants to discover new grape varieties and understand what makes them special.

It is for the traveler who wants a real Napa Valley winery experience, where you can meet the winemaker, sit in a garden, and have an honest conversation over a glass of wine.

LOLA is for anyone who believes great wine should be accessible, personal, and rooted in place.