Coombsville · Napa Valley
Visit Caldwell with a Private Chauffeur
A 123-acre hillside estate in Coombsville, with tastings in a cave cut from solid rock, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
The Kreuzers, a Swiss-German family, bought the land in 1876 as a cattle ranch and later ran a dairy there. John Caldwell bought it in 1974, and he and his father Jack began planting the vineyard in 1980. In 1997 John and his wife Joy hired Philippe Melka to make their first wine, Caldwell Silver, and in 2002 they dug a 20,000-square-foot cave.
The estate sits about 600 feet above the valley floor in the Coombsville AVA, in the southeast corner of Napa Valley, between two mountain ranges. Caldwell makes about two dozen wines, has its own barrel cooperage on the estate, and tells the story of John's early days bringing in French vine clones, a tale the winery calls its Smuggler's legacy.
Tastings take place underground, in a tasting room carved from rock inside the cave. You taste five estate wines with a platter of cheese and charcuterie, and hear plenty of stories along the way. The cave was honored in the Bohemian's 2023 Best of the North Bay awards.
Tasting Fees
$150 for the Caldwell Vineyard Tasting Experience, five estate wines with cheese and charcuterie, 90 minutes. $175 for the Joy Caldwell Champagne Tasting, 90 minutes (Thursday to Saturday, booked a week ahead).
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
270 Kreuzer Lane, Napa
AVA
Coombsville
Visiting
Open daily by reservation, with tastings at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Known For
Bordeaux-variety estate reds, Syrah and the Caldwell Gold and Silver blends, plus a grower Champagne program
Founded
1974 (vineyard planted from 1980; first wine 1997)
Good to Know
Tastings are for guests 21 and over, in parties of up to 8. The road to the cave is gated and slow; on Sundays the gate is closed, so the winery gives a gate code to guests with a booking.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Andaz Napa or Archer Hotel Napa. Caldwell's tastings start on the even hour, so we leave a little early for the 10 a.m. seating.
9:45 · Pickup at Andaz Napa or Archer Hotel Napa
Andaz Napa, a boutique Hyatt hotel, and Archer Hotel Napa, a downtown hotel with a rooftop bar, are both in downtown Napa, about 15 minutes from Caldwell. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Caldwell Vineyard
The Caldwell Vineyard Tasting Experience in the cave ($150), 90 minutes.
11:55 · Etude Wines
About 22 minutes away. A Carneros winery that has been built around Pinot Noir for more than 40 years, and also makes single-vineyard Napa Cabernets. The Terroir Experience is $55 and about an hour. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; appointments are recommended and walk-ins are welcome.
1:10 · Lunch at Angèle
About 14 minutes away. French country cooking in the historic Hatt Building on the Napa River, opened by Bettina Rouas in 2002. Lunch daily, 11:30 a.m. to 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.
2:25 · Materra
About 13 minutes away. The Cunat family's winery in the Oak Knoll District, with a patio that looks across the vineyards to the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountains. The guided tasting of five wines is $45. Book ahead; last tasting at 4 p.m.
3:25 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:40 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Black Stallion Estate Winery
Adds about an hour. A Silverado Trail estate where the 30-minute Bar Tasting of four wines ($30) needs no reservation. Open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About $250 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
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 Caldwell?
Yes. Tastings are by reservation only, at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Caldwell?
$150 per person for the 90-minute Caldwell Vineyard Tasting Experience, and $175 for the Joy Caldwell Champagne Tasting, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste at Caldwell?
In a tasting room carved from solid rock inside the estate's 20,000-square-foot cave.
How many guests can visit Caldwell together?
Tastings are for parties of up to 8.
Who owns Caldwell Vineyard?
John and Joy Caldwell. John bought the property in 1974 and began planting it in 1980.
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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