Spring Mountain District · Napa Valley
Visit Behrens with a Private Chauffeur
A tiny family winery high on Spring Mountain, making small lots of red wine, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Les Behrens and Lisa Drinkward met in Arcata and opened Folie Douce Restaurant in 1991, where Les ran a wine list that earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. In 1993 they bought their first three and a half tons of grapes, and with Bob and Lily Hitchcock they formed Behrens & Hitchcock Winery. They sold the restaurant in 1997 and moved to Napa Valley to make wine full-time.
When the Hitchcocks retired in 2005, Les and Lisa bought out their share of the Spring Mountain winery and renamed it Behrens Family Winery. Les, who has no formal training, has been the only winemaker since the start. The winery makes a handful of red wines each year in tiny lots, from small, low-yielding vineyard sites, bottled unfined and unfiltered.
This is a working family winery, not a public tasting room. Visits are by appointment and last about 90 minutes, with usually five wines and the stories behind them. The name Erna Schein on the label honors Les's mother, and her vintage KitchenAid mixer appears on it. The winery sits about 20 minutes up Spring Mountain Road from downtown St. Helena.
Tasting Fees
$100 for the Behrens Family Winery Tasting, about 90 minutes, usually five wines. The winery waives the fee with a purchase of three bottles per person (six per couple).
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
4078 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena
AVA
Spring Mountain District
Visiting
By appointment only, booked online. Tastings start at 10:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., Monday through Saturday. A credit card is required, with a 48-hour cancellation policy.
Known For
Small lots of hand-crafted red wines from Spring Mountain
Founded
1993 (as Behrens & Hitchcock; renamed in 2005)
Good to Know
Tastings are 21 and over. Up to 10 guests per booking. Please list the names of all guests when booking so the winery can personalize tasting sheets. Only a few tastings are held each day.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn. The first tasting of the day is at 10:15 a.m. and the winery is about 20 minutes up Spring Mountain Road from St. Helena, so we start 15 minutes early.
9:45 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Both hotels are in St. Helena, at the foot of Spring Mountain Road. Alila Napa Valley is an adults-only (18+) resort with private terraces and soaking tubs, and Harvest Inn is a vineyard-side resort with redwoods and gardens on the south edge of town. The drive up the mountain takes about 20 minutes. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Behrens Family Winery
The Behrens Family Winery Tasting, about 90 minutes and usually five wines ($100, waived with a purchase of three bottles per person). Seatings are at 10:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.
12:05 · Brasswood
About 20 minutes down the mountain. A winery and restaurant on Highway 29 just north of St. Helena. The Taste of Napa Valley bar tasting is three wines in about 30 minutes ($40), and walk-ins are welcome for up to 6 guests. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
12:50 · Lunch at Solbar
About 11 minutes away. North to Calistoga for lunch at Solbar, the restaurant at Solage, served Monday through Saturday from 11:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Titus Vineyards
About 14 minutes away. A family-owned winery on the Silverado Trail at the base of Howell Mountain, where the Titus family brought in its first harvest in 1969. The seated Vista Room Experience is $60 for about an hour, with one fee waived per three-bottle purchase. By appointment; the last slot is at 3 p.m.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by 3:45 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: V. Sattui Winery
Adds about an hour. A St. Helena winery on White Lane with a large Italian-style deli and picnic grounds, about 8 minutes from Titus. Wines by the Glass takes walk-ins (reserve on arrival), $18 to $36 a glass, Monday to Friday until 6 p.m.; on Saturday the Mercato Tasting ($45) runs until 6 p.m., with reservations recommended.
About $200 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Behrens seats tastings Monday through Saturday, so this day is planned for Monday to Saturday, when Solbar also serves lunch.
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 Behrens?
Yes. Behrens is a working family winery, not a public tasting room, and every visit is by appointment with a credit card to hold it. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Behrens?
$100 per person for a tasting of about 90 minutes, waived with a purchase of three bottles per person, as of September 2026.
Who owns Behrens Family Winery?
Les Behrens and Lisa Drinkward, who founded it in 1993 as Behrens & Hitchcock and bought out their partners in 2005. Les has been the only winemaker since the start.
Who is Erna Schein on the Behrens label?
Erna Schein was Les Behrens's mother. The label is dedicated to her, and it shows her original vintage KitchenAid mixer.
Can children visit Behrens?
Tastings are for guests 21 and over.
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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