Trek around Wine Country, near its luxury hotels and fine-dining destinations, and you’ll find the remnants of wineries that date back to a time when Napa wasn’t so flush. These are vestiges of the Dark Ages for California wine. They’re known as ghost wineries, not because they’re haunted (though that’s up for debate in some cases), but because they serve as an important link between Napa’s early years as a wine region and the bustling destination it is now.

Napa Valley had a thriving wine industry in the 19th century, with more than 140 operating wineries opened by the final decade. But starting in the late 1880s, the region was hit with a triple blow that left the local wine industry reeling for decades. First, an outbreak of the lethal grapevine virus phylloxera crippled wine production for 20 years. Then the Great Depression arrived, which dovetailed with Prohibition from 1920 to 1933.

This half-century of setbacks left many California wineries in ruins. Although a few were able to stay in business by selling sacramental wine or grapes for home winemaking, the industry had withered to about three dozen by the time Prohibition was repealed. Many of the buildings remained vacant for decades, falling into ruin.

As Napa’s wine industry rebuilt following Prohibition, some of these ghost wineries such as Far Niente were resurrected, becoming thriving facilities that welcome visitors. Others, like the historic stone winery on Howell Mountain at La Jota, aren’t open to the public but their cool confines are now used for barrel rooms and other aspects of wine production.

Halloween notwithstanding, Napa’s ghost wineries are worth visiting any time of year. They’re scattered throughout the valley, offering a peek into a storied history and a spirit of perseverance that defines the area.

Here are a handful of the ghosts you can visit:

Flora Springs: This former home of the 1900 Rennie Brothers Winery in St. Helena, suffered a one-two punch at the turn of the 20th century. Not only were its vineyards hit by phylloxera, but a fire in its wine cellar decimated its production capabilities.

After decades of inactivity, the property was purchased in the mid 1970s and renamed Flora Springs. The ghost winery has since been renovated and serves as a production facility, which visitors can see during tours of the Flora Springs estate. Flora Springs plays up its ghost winery heritage with Halloween releases including All Hallows’ Eve Cabernet Franc and Ghost Winery Malbec.

Freemark Abbey: Freemark Abbey’s roots stretch to the late 1800s, when Josephine Tychson created Tychson Cellars and made history as Napa Valley’s first female winemaker. This early producer of Riesling and Zinfandel was later sold and renamed Lombarda Cellars, but the operations came to a halt when Prohibition hit.

The old brick building that served as the heart of Tychson Cellars’ winemaking operations became the home of Freemark Abbey in 1949 and now is used primarily for Cabernet Sauvignon production. Visitors aren’t allowed inside this historic cellar, but other aspects of the old stone winery are integrated into the winery’s hospitality center.

Chateau Montelena: Built in 1888 by noted winery designer Hamden McIntyre, whose designs include Greystone, now home of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, the chateau looks like an English gothic castle gatehouse. Back in the 1890s, this facility, then known as A.L. Tubbs Winery, was among the most successful operations in the Napa Valley. Its founder continued to sell grapes during Prohibition and resumed its winemaking operations in 1940 as Chateau Montelena. The winery was overseen by Chapin Tubbs, the grandson of A.L. Tubbs, but his death turned Chateau Montelena into a ghost for nearly 20 years given the vacuum of leadership.

New owners took over the property in 1958 and transformed some of the grounds into a Chinese garden. Under the ownership of the Barrett family, the property resumed winemaking operations in the late 1960s. Chateau Montelena went on to pull off a historic win at the 1976 Judgment of Paris.

Far Niente: This original Oakville winery was established in 1885 and was also designed by Hamden McIntyre. It remained an abandoned property from the beginning of the Roaring ’20s to the tail end of the disco era in 1979. That’s when Gil Nickel bought the ghost winery and restored it. During the renovation process, the Italian phrase far niente, meaning without a care, was found carved in a stone, inspiring the name of Nickel’s new winery.

The look of the current property reflects its long history. Tasters will find exposed bricks mixed with stone in the walls — it’s like stepping back into 19th century grandeur.

Vine Cliff: Stroll around the Vine Cliff estate near the Silverado Trail and you’ll see stone work that dates back more than 140 years. The winery was established in the 1870s, and was among the largest of its time with a four-story wine cellar. However, this mountainside estate remained vacant for the better part of the 20th century. Vine Cliff was resurrected during the 1980s, and has since focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay production.

Its original stone building now houses a barrel room for its Chardonnay. Visitors can see this historic space during tours of the estate.

Spottswoode: Chester A. Arthur was president of the United States when Spottswoode was founded in 1882. The Novak family acquired the property about a century later and has preserved some of the property’s history while producing Cabernet Sauvignon and small lots of Bordeaux varietals.

The estate’s Victorian home, inspired by a luxurious Monterey hotel, dates back to the 19th century and now serves as the office for its winery operations. Its historic Kraft Cellar, which was built in 1884 functions as a barrel room for its Cabernet Sauvignon production. The doors of this old-time cellar are open to visitors during estate tours, though most of the winemaking takes place in a newer facility next door.

Frog’s Leap: Unlike the stone facades that define most of Napa’s ghost wineries, this one is made of wood. The site was originally home to Adamson Winery, which produced upwards of 120,000 gallons of wine annually during the late 1800s.

When John Williams took over the property in 1994 and brought his Frog’s Leap brand here, the red barn-like structure was in bad shape, with some sections partially collapsed. Now, it’s about as handsome as a barn gets in Napa, with a mix of LEED-certified sustainability features, including the barn’s original wood.

Hall Wines: The grounds of Hall Wines feel Napa chic with modern architecture and an on-site art gallery. It’s a much different vibe compared to the late-1800s stone building in the middle of the property that was once home to Bergfeld Winery.

Visitors can see the inside of this rustic building on tours, offered on the hour. Some claim the ghost of founder Robert Bergfeld has been spotted inside the building.