St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Cathiard with a Private Chauffeur
A historic Mayacamas foothill estate owned by the family behind Château Smith Haut Lafitte, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Brothers James and William Rennie came from Scotland and bought this land in 1885. They planted 60 acres of vines, and the estate says they were the first in California to crush grapes with a gasoline-powered engine. Fire, phylloxera and then Prohibition ended their winery, which closed in 1920. Louis Martini bought the property in 1933, and the Komes-Garvey family later owned it until 2020.
In January 2020 the estate was bought by Florence and Daniel Cathiard, former ski champions who have owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux since 1990. They rebuilt the winery with small double-skin tanks, refurbished the long horseshoe cellar cut into the mountain, and are developing an on-site cooperage. The vines sit in the Mayacamas foothills, spanning the Rutherford and St. Helena appellations.
Visits are private and hosted by one person. The Private Estate Experience starts with the estate's history and winemaking philosophy, then tours the gravity-flow winery and the horseshoe cellar before a tasting of the three wines: the Cathiard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and two red blends, Founding Brothers and Hora. Hora is named for the goddesses of the seasons, and four sculptures of them stand on the estate.
Tasting Fees
$175 per person for the Private Estate Experience, a hosted tour of the gravity-flow winery and horseshoe cellar followed by a tasting of the estate's three wines.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1978 Zinfandel Lane, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
By reservation only, with advance notice. Visit requests are made through the winery's website and are final once the Cathiard team confirms them.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style red blends (Founding Brothers and Hora)
Founded
1885 (Cathiard family since 2020)
Good to Know
Every visit is a private, hosted experience with a small hospitality team, so request well ahead. One tasting fee is waived for every three bottles of the flagship Cathiard Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon purchased, or with a new membership.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Harvest Inn, set in gardens on the south edge of St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from Cathiard, and Auberge du Soleil, on the hillside above Rutherford, is about 15 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Cathiard Vineyard
The Private Estate Experience ($175): a hosted tour of the winery and the horseshoe cellar in the hillside, then a tasting of the three estate wines. We allow about 90 minutes.
12:00 · Inglenook
About 10 minutes away. The Rutherford estate where Captain Gustave Niebaum began making wine in the late 1800s. The Legacy Tasting is $100 and runs 60 minutes for parties of four or fewer. By reservation; offered Wednesday to Monday, 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
1:10 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29, a Napa Valley institution open daily 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.
2:30 · Mumm Napa
About 15 minutes away. A sparkling wine house on the Silverado Trail in Rutherford, pouring on its outdoor patio or indoors. The Sip & Sparkle tasting is $48 and runs 60 minutes. Reservations recommended; walk-ins when space allows. Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; no one under 21, including infants.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Jessup Cellars
Adds about an hour. A Yountville tasting room that doubles as an art gallery. The bar tasting of three current releases ($30) is first come, first served, no reservation needed, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
About $325 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Inglenook's Legacy Tasting is not offered on Tuesdays. On a Tuesday we book its Private Cave Tour and Tasting instead ($135, 90 minutes, for parties of four or more), which moves the rest of the day back 30 minutes.
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 Cathiard?
Yes. Cathiard hosts guests by reservation only, with advance notice, and a visit is final once the winery confirms it. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Cathiard?
$175 per person for the Private Estate Experience, with one fee waived for every three bottles of the flagship Cathiard Vineyard purchased, as of September 2026.
Who owns Cathiard Vineyard?
Florence and Daniel Cathiard, who bought the estate in January 2020. They have owned Château Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux since 1990.
What is Cathiard Vineyard known for?
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mayacamas foothills, sold as Cathiard Vineyard, plus two red blends, Founding Brothers and Hora.
How old is the Cathiard estate?
Scottish brothers James and William Rennie bought the land in 1885 and planted 60 acres of vines. Louis Martini later owned the property from 1933.
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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