Howell Mountain · Napa Valley
Visit Arkenstone with a Private Chauffeur
A family domaine on the western shoulder of Howell Mountain with its own underground winery, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Ron and Susan Krausz bought their land on Howell Mountain in 1988, when the young appellation was still quiet. They developed the estate slowly, planting the vineyard by 1998, releasing a first commercial vintage in 2006 and finishing an underground winery in 2008. The Krausz family still owns and runs Arkenstone.
Arkenstone calls itself a domaine: it grows, makes and ages its wines on one property. Red varieties grow in iron-rich Aiken loam and white varieties in compressed volcanic ash, or tuff, on the western shoulder of the Howell Mountain AVA. The vineyards have been farmed organically from the start, and production is very small.
Every visit is private, with only a few hosted each day. The Arkenstone Experience tours the winery and vineyard, then sits down to a full tasting of the single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, the Estate Blanc and the Estate Red, opened just for your group. Allow about 90 minutes, and book well ahead.
Tasting Fees
$150 per person for the Arkenstone Experience, a winery and vineyard tour with a seated tasting, about 90 minutes, paid at booking.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
335 West Lane, Angwin
AVA
Howell Mountain
Visiting
All tastings and tours are by private appointment, with a very limited number of visits each day. Reservations are paid when booked and are usually made well in advance.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Red and Estate Blanc from organically farmed Howell Mountain vineyards, plus single-vineyard Cabernets
Founded
1988 (first commercial vintage 2006)
Good to Know
Changes to party size, timing or cancellations need 72 hours' notice, or fees may apply. Group and corporate events are by inquiry. The estate is in rural Angwin, about 20 minutes up the mountain from St. Helena.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Meadowood or Alila Napa Valley. The drive up Howell Mountain takes about 20 to 25 minutes, so the visit is set for 10:25.
10:00 · Pickup at Meadowood or Alila Napa Valley
Meadowood, at the foot of Howell Mountain, is about 20 minutes from Arkenstone, and Alila Napa Valley at the north end of St. Helena is about 25 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:25 · Arkenstone Estate
The Arkenstone Experience, a winery and vineyard tour followed by a seated tasting, about 90 minutes ($150).
12:10 · CADE Estate Winery
About 12 minutes away. An organically farmed estate lower on Howell Mountain, with views west across the valley. The seated Current Release Tasting of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon is $100, about an hour, by prepaid appointment; 21 and over.
1:30 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 25 minutes away. Lunch at Farmstead, Long Meadow Ranch's farm-to-table restaurant at the south end of St. Helena, open daily for lunch. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:50 · Stony Hill Vineyard
About 12 minutes away. A Spring Mountain estate making Chardonnay since the 1950s, reached by a short climb from Highway 29. Taste of Stony Hill is $75, up to an hour, by reservation Thursday through Monday; 21 and over.
3:50 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
About $325 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Stony Hill is open Thursday through Monday. On a Tuesday or Wednesday we swap in another St. Helena estate of the same standing.
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 Arkenstone?
Yes. Every visit is by private appointment, with only a few each day, so book well ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Arkenstone?
$150 per person for the Arkenstone Experience, a tour and seated tasting of about 90 minutes, paid at booking, as of September 2026.
Who owns Arkenstone?
Ron and Susan Krausz, who bought the Howell Mountain property in 1988 and built the estate over the following decades.
What wines are poured at Arkenstone?
The single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, the Estate Blanc and the Estate Red, opened for your group.
Is Arkenstone organic?
The winery says its vineyards have been farmed organically from the beginning, with cover crops and compost and solar power at the estate.
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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