St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Benessere with a Private Chauffeur
A family winery north of St. Helena devoted to Italian grape varieties, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
John and Ellen Benish bought the property on Big Tree Road in 1994 and set right to work restoring the winery and residence and replanting the vineyards. In 1995 they made their first vintage, a Sangiovese. They named the winery Benessere, an Italian word the family translates as "well-being" or "living the good life."
The land has a long past. It was a cattle ranch, then a dairy farm in the 1920s and 1930s, then a thoroughbred horse ranch with its own racetrack in the 1960s, and most of it was planted to vines by the mid-1970s. The Black Glass Vineyard is named for the obsidian fragments left by Native American tribes who once used the land.
Benessere focuses on Italian varieties grown in Napa Valley: Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, Moscato di Canelli, Sagrantino and Aglianico, plus a Super Tuscan-style blend called Phenomenon and two Zinfandels. Tastings are seated, on a vine-side patio, with optional cheese, antipasti or chocolate truffle pairings, and leashed dogs are welcome. A guided estate tour through the vineyards is also offered.
Tasting Fees
$40 for Bubbles & Pastries (9:30 a.m., sparkling wines with Model Bakery pastries). $40 for the Bei Vini seated flight and $55 for the all-red Grandi Rossi flight. $80 for the Seated Library Tasting. $85 for the Bella Giornata Tour & Tasting, 90 minutes, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1010 Big Tree Road, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tastings are by reservation, booked on Tock, with seated times from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Known For
Italian varieties grown in Napa Valley, including Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Aglianico and the Phenomenon blend
Founded
1994 (first vintage in 1995)
Good to Know
Seated tastings are for parties of up to 8; groups of 9 to 12 book the Large Group Seated Tasting ($70). A 20% gratuity is added for parties of 6 or more. Dogs are welcome on a leash. No outside food on the tasting patio, except with the Al Fresco picnic experience arranged by email.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Alila Napa Valley, an adults-focused resort next to Beringer at the north end of St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from Benessere, and Harvest Inn, a garden resort at the south end of town, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Benessere Vineyards
A seated tasting on the patio, the Bei Vini flight ($40) or the all-red Grandi Rossi flight ($55); plan on about an hour. For Bubbles & Pastries ($40) at 9:30 a.m., we move pickup to 9:15.
11:35 · Inglenook
About 18 minutes away. South to Rutherford for the Legacy Tasting, hosted in the Athenaeum, with library red wines and a finish of Rubicon paired with a tasting plate from the estate chef. $100 for 60 minutes. By reservation, Wednesday to Monday, for parties of four or fewer; larger groups call ahead.
12:45 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29 just north of Yountville, open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. (11 a.m. Friday to Sunday). Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:10 · Mumm Napa
About 14 minutes away. A sparkling wine house on the Silverado Trail in Rutherford, with a patio and tasting room looking out over the vineyards to the mountains. Sip & Sparkle, a choice of three flights, is $48 and takes about 60 minutes. Reservations recommended; every guest must be 21 or over (no infants or children), and pets are not allowed.
3:15 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 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 10 minutes from Mumm Napa. Wines by the Glass takes walk-ins (reserve on arrival), $18 to $36 a glass, Sunday to Friday until 6 p.m.; on Saturday the Mercato Tasting ($45) runs until 6 p.m., with reservations recommended.
About $190 to $205 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Inglenook's Legacy Tasting is offered Wednesday to Monday. On a Tuesday we swap in another Rutherford winery for the late-morning stop.
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 Benessere?
Yes. Tastings are by reservation, booked on Tock, and seated tastings take a small deposit that is refunded when you arrive. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Benessere?
$40 per person for Bubbles & Pastries or the Bei Vini flight, $55 for the Grandi Rossi flight, $80 for the Library Tasting and $85 for the Bella Giornata Tour & Tasting, as of September 2026.
What is Benessere known for?
Italian grape varieties grown in Napa Valley, including Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, Moscato di Canelli, Sagrantino and Aglianico, and a Super Tuscan-style blend called Phenomenon.
Can I bring my dog to Benessere?
Yes. The winery is dog-friendly and asks that dogs stay on a leash at all times.
What does Benessere mean?
It is an Italian word the founding Benish family translates as "well-being" or "living the good life."
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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