Grapes have been cultivated in the fertile Napa and Sonoma valley soils since 1839. Today vineyards are everywhere. These amazing private tours will help you pick out the best.
Hundreds of wineries of varying sizes dot the gentle hillsides of the Napa and Sonoma valleys in the center of northern California. Between them, they craft many varietals of grape into stunning wines. While cabernet sauvignon is considered grape royalty in Napa Valley, pinot noir (buoyed by a soliloquy in the movie Sideways), chardonnay and merlot are all common to the region. To work through every winery would require quitting your day job, but take one of these amazing private tours and you’ll be able to fit in a variety of tastings at some of the region’s best spots.
Napa Valley Tour by Private Car from San Francisco
Do you have a favorite tipple? Perhaps a delicate pinot noir or a citrus-infused sauvignon blanc? Either way, you can make stops at two or three wineries on this tour designed for smaller groups of up to four people. Starting out at wherever you may be staying in San Francisco, you can tour the beautiful Napa Valley and its Sonoma sister in a private car for six hours. Tours are available daily and generally depart at 9am. From $680 per group.
8-Hour Custom Private Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour
This private wine tour allows eight hours for you to cater your itinerary to your wine preferences, so that you can focus on, and more importantly sample, the wines you love the most. Some excellent options include Castello di Amorosa (cabernet sauvignon) and Domaine Chandon (chardonnay). This fee covers groups of up to six people, so the bigger your group within this range, the better the value per person. Tasting fees are not included in the price. From $700 per group.
Private Sonoma and Napa Wine Tour Including Custom Concierge
A similar private tour of the Sonoma and Napa valleys is available for groups of two to six people. Your vehicle and driver are available for eight hours, which allows for stops at up to five wineries. There are 19 wineries to choose from and you are free to select your preferences. At each winery, tastings and tours incur an additional fee on top of the private tour price. There may also be a fuel surcharge. This option runs daily and includes pickup and drop-off within the San Francisco area. From $720 per group.
Guided Private Wine Tour to Napa and Sonoma Wine Country
If you’re travelling with a group of more than six people, there are some great private tour options utilizing minibuses to take you around the Californian wine country. Use the flexible itinerary to visit up to four Napa and Sonoma vineyards. With no restrictions on which you can visit, this is ideal if your group already knows of a particular winery they wish to visit. The price listed below is for smaller groups up to four people. For larger groups, the price climbs to between $1,095 for five people and $1,395 for groups of 13, where the real saving can be felt. From $995 per group.