Calistoga · Napa Valley
Visit August Briggs with a Private Chauffeur
A small, owner-run winery with a tasting room on Calistoga's main street, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Joe Briggs, a Fresno State-trained winemaker, began making wine under the August Briggs label in 1995. In 2011 he sold the label to two longtime employees, Colette Milliman, with the winery since 2002, and Matt Gacso. The owners moved the tasting room to Lincoln Avenue in downtown Calistoga, where it still pours today, and they run the winery hands-on.
August Briggs makes small lots of single-vineyard wines from Napa, Sonoma and beyond, with a stated focus on provenance, not pretense. Several sources are old vines, including Canard Vineyard, planted in 1877, and Del Barba, dating to the 1920s. Alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, the list includes rarer grapes such as Charbono, Pinot Meunier and Malbec.
The tasting room is small and relaxed, with seats inside and outside, and you can order a flight, a glass or a bottle. The owners are hands-on, so you may well be poured by one of them. It sits on the main street, a short walk from shops, restaurants and other tasting rooms.
Tasting Fees
The winery does not post tasting prices online. It pours tasting flights, wine by the glass and bottles, and your chauffeur confirms the current price when making the reservation. A visit usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1307 Lincoln Avenue, Calistoga
AVA
Calistoga
Visiting
Open Friday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday by appointment. Walk-ins and reservations are both welcome; groups of seven or more should reserve ahead by phone or email.
Known For
Small-lot, single-vineyard wines, including old-vine sites and rare grapes such as Charbono and Pinot Meunier
Founded
1995
Good to Know
Tastings are served inside and on the patio. Groups of seven or more need a reservation. The tasting room is closed Wednesday and Thursday.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Solage or Indian Springs Calistoga. The tasting room opens at 11 a.m., so the day starts a little later than usual.
10:45 · Pickup at Solage or Indian Springs Calistoga
August Briggs opens at 11 a.m., so pickup is at 10:45. Solage, an Auberge resort with a large spa and geothermal pools on the Silverado Trail, is about 5 minutes from the tasting room, and Indian Springs Calistoga, a historic resort with a 1910 mineral pool, is just up Lincoln Avenue. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · August Briggs Winery
A relaxed tasting of small-lot wines on Calistoga's main street, about 45 minutes to an hour. Choose a flight, or settle in with a glass on the patio.
12:05 · Frank Family Vineyards
About 8 minutes away. A Craftsman House tasting room on the grounds of the historic Larkmead Winery, first established in 1884. The Frank Family Estate Tasting is $60, seated in the house, on the back patio or in the courtyard; allow about an hour. By reservation; 21 and over.
1:15 · Lunch at Sam's Social Club
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Sam's Social Club at Indian Springs Calistoga, open to the public, with lunch on weekdays and brunch on weekends, both until 2:30 p.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
3:00 · Vincent Arroyo Winery
About 5 minutes away. A family winery established in 1984 in a barn full of oak barrels, where Vince Arroyo started with Petite Sirah and Cabernet; the wines are sold only direct to consumers. Tastings are $30. By appointment on the hour; last tasting at 4 p.m. Guests must be 21 or older.
4:00 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:15 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Romeo Vineyards & Cellars
Adds about an hour. A family winery pouring on a garden patio at the west end of Lincoln Avenue, a short walk from August Briggs. Walk-ins are available when space allows for parties under 6. Tastings are $30, waived with the purchase of two bottles; last tasting at 5 p.m.
About $90 per person in tasting fees for Frank Family and Vincent Arroyo, plus the August Briggs tasting, paid directly to each winery.
August Briggs is open Friday through Monday, and Tuesday by appointment. It is closed Wednesday and Thursday, so plan your visit for another day of the week.
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 August Briggs?
Not usually. The tasting room welcomes walk-ins and reservations Friday through Monday. Groups of seven or more, and Tuesday visits, need one. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at August Briggs?
The winery does not post tasting prices online. Your chauffeur confirms the current price when booking, as of September 2026.
Who owns August Briggs?
Colette Milliman and Matt Gacso, longtime employees who bought the label from founder Joe Briggs in 2011. They run the winery themselves.
What is August Briggs known for?
Small-lot, single-vineyard wines from Napa, Sonoma and beyond, including old-vine sites and rare grapes such as Charbono and Pinot Meunier.
When is August Briggs open?
Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday by appointment. It is closed Wednesday and Thursday.
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.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"August Briggs Winery","url":"https://augustbriggswinery.com","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1307 Lincoln Avenue","addressLocality":"Calistoga","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"94515","addressCountry":"US"},"foundingDate":"1995","containedInPlace":{"@type":"Place","name":"Calistoga AVA"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at August Briggs?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Not usually. The tasting room welcomes walk-ins and reservations Friday through Monday. Groups of seven or more, and Tuesday visits, need one. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at August Briggs?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The winery does not post tasting prices online. Your chauffeur confirms the current price when booking, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns August Briggs?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Colette Milliman and Matt Gacso, longtime employees who bought the label from founder Joe Briggs in 2011. They run the winery themselves."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is August Briggs known for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Small-lot, single-vineyard wines from Napa, Sonoma and beyond, including old-vine sites and rare grapes such as Charbono and Pinot Meunier."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"When is August Briggs open?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday by appointment. It is closed Wednesday and Thursday."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"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."}}]}]}