Kelly E. Carter’s luxury concierge service ranked No. 3 Best Wine Tour Company in the United States and expands into Tuscany
August 4, 2026 (Yountville, CA) — Napa Valley Noir® (NVN), a luxury concierge company celebrating its second anniversary this month, has been voted the No. 3 Best Wine Tour Company in the United States in the 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards, the highest ranking among nominees based in Napa and Sonoma.
The recognition comes during a milestone season for founder Kelly E. Carter, who was recently named a recipient of the 2026 Bloom Icon Award from Bloom, an entrepreneur lifestyle magazine and community for women. The annual awards recognize women founders who are building standout businesses with intention, originality and grit while redefining modern entrepreneurship across industries.
Drawing on her background as a storyteller, Carter launched NVN in August 2024 to offer discerning travelers a more personalized, relationship-driven approach to exploring Wine Country by creating bespoke experiences that simply can’t be booked online. The New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist and former wine industry communications executive spent more than seven years immersed in Napa Valley’s wine and hospitality industries. Through trusted relationships and insider access, the company crafts meaningful connections between guests and the people, places and experiences that define destinations at their very best.
In 2026, NVN expanded into Italy, where Carter lived from 2003-2005. The company also served as the official concierge partner for the 9th Annual Black Food & Wine Experience (BFWE), held in Napa Valley for the first time. NVN has designed itineraries for solo travelers, couples, families, repeat Fortune 500 clients and international visitors.
“This past year has been especially rewarding because it reflects the direction Napa Valley Noir is headed,” Carter said. “From arranging a private tasting with the winemaker at a Bolgheri winery normally closed to visitors, to welcoming guests from Turkey to Napa Valley to hosting a private lunch prepared by a Black chef at the vineyard estate home of a Black winery owner for two Black couples visiting Napa Valley for the first time during BFWE, we’re creating memories for an array of travelers while remaining committed to introducing more people to a side of Wine Country they never imagined.”
The annual USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards recognize the nation’s top destinations, attractions, businesses and travel experiences through travel expert nominations and public voting.
About Napa Valley Noir
Napa Valley Noir® is an award-winning luxury concierge service founded by New York Times bestselling author Kelly E. Carter. Serving Napa Valley, Sonoma County and Italy, Napa Valley Noir specializes in designing bespoke experiences for solo travelers, couples, families, group celebrations and corporate guests. As a Wine Unify Mentor, Carter donates a portion of proceeds to the non-profit organization dedicated to fostering wine education for underrepresented minority groups and amplifying the voices of people of color thriving within the wine community. NVNoir.com. Social: @NapaValleyNoir
