St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Accendo with a Private Chauffeur
A small Napa Valley Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc label now owned by longtime grape growers, poured by appointment at Wheeler Farms, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Bart and Daphne Araujo, with their children Jaime and Greg, started Accendo in 2013 after selling their Araujo Estate in Calistoga. The name comes from a Latin verb the family translated as "illuminate, inspire, arouse." In 2025 the Araujo siblings sold the brand and its inventory to a group led by vintner Jack Bittner and the Bettinelli family, with partner Paul Goldberg.
The new owners are growers. They farm more than 250 acres across five Napa Valley vineyards, and their families have supplied grapes to wineries since the 1850s. Less than 2% of what they grow becomes Accendo. Nigel Kinsman has made the Cabernet Sauvignon since the 2018 vintage and now makes the Sauvignon Blanc too, and the Cabernet has drawn 97-point reviews.
Accendo makes its wine and hosts guests at Wheeler Farms on Zinfandel Lane, just south of St. Helena, a newer winery and hospitality space with organically farmed culinary gardens. There is no walk-in tasting bar. Visits are a personal tour and tasting arranged directly with the winery, which makes this a quiet, unhurried stop for anyone who loves Napa Cabernet.
Tasting Fees
Accendo does not publish a tasting fee. Each visit is a personal tour and tasting arranged with the winery, and the fee is confirmed when the appointment is made.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
588 Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
By appointment, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Wheeler Farms. Visits are arranged directly with the winery.
Known For
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from the owners' own vineyards
Founded
2013 (new grower owners since 2025)
Good to Know
Wheeler Farms welcomes guests 21 and over only. Pets are not permitted on the property. There are no walk-ins; every visit is a scheduled appointment.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Harvest Inn, a vineyard-side resort on the south edge of St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from Wheeler Farms, and Auberge du Soleil, a hillside resort in Rutherford, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Accendo Estate
A personal tour and tasting of Accendo Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc at Wheeler Farms. We allow about an hour and 15 minutes; the fee is confirmed when the appointment is made.
11:40 · Heitz Cellar
About 5 minutes away. The Salon on Highway 29 pours Heitz's Napa Valley wines, and its longer tasting includes the Martha's Vineyard Cabernet. The Napa Valley Legacy is $75, 45 to 60 minutes. Reservations required, with walk-ins if space allows; open daily until 3:30 p.m.
12:50 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 5 minutes away. Lunch at Farmstead on Main Street in St. Helena, open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m. (11 a.m. on weekends). Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Corison Winery
About 5 minutes away. A small St. Helena winery devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon, where the tasting includes a vineyard walk and a look inside the winery. The Discovery Tasting is $75, 60 minutes, waived with a three-bottle Cabernet purchase. By appointment.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Markham Vineyards
Adds about an hour and a half. A winery on Highway 29 north of St. Helena with a 150-year-old stone cellar, about 8 minutes from Corison. Walk-ins are welcome daily; the Discovery of Napa tasting is $55 and takes 1.5 hours. Open until 5:30 p.m.
About $150 per person in tasting fees at Heitz Cellar and Corison, plus Accendo's fee, which is confirmed when the appointment is made. Fees are paid directly to each winery.
Accendo hosts visits Tuesday to Saturday only, so plan this day for one of those days.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Accendo?
Yes. Accendo is by appointment only, Tuesday to Saturday, and does not take walk-ins. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Accendo?
Accendo does not publish a tasting fee. It is confirmed when the appointment is made, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste Accendo wines?
At Wheeler Farms, 588 Zinfandel Lane, just south of St. Helena, where Accendo makes its wine.
Who owns Accendo?
Since 2025, a group led by managing partner Jack Bittner with the Bettinelli family and partner Paul Goldberg, all longtime Napa Valley grape growers. The Araujo family founded it in 2013.
Can children visit Accendo?
Wheeler Farms, where Accendo hosts visits, welcomes guests 21 and over only.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
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