Oakville · Napa Valley
Visit Chris Hamilton with a Private Chauffeur
A small, private Oakville label of Napa Valley Cabernet, with wines by a winemaker who trained at Colgin Cellars and tastings arranged by request, and a suggested six-hour day around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Chris and Heidi Hamilton started Chris Hamilton Cellars as a nod to their heritage and to the values they hold close: loyalty, spirit and community. Their aim, in their words, is to express "the inner power and primal nature of Napa Valley Cabernet in its purest form." The wines are sold today under the Hamilton Wine Collective name, from an address on Highway 29 in Oakville.
Winemaker Sarah Donley joined in 2023. She studied enology at Fresno State, interned at Colgin Cellars and at Mollydooker in Australia, then returned to Colgin full time and rose to assistant winemaker. After six years there she became winemaker and production manager at Wheeler Farms, and from 2018 she made the wines at ADAMVS Estate, farming biodynamically.
This is a small, private label rather than a tasting room. Tastings are set up by request through the winery's contact form, and the team replies to arrange a time, so the visit is personal and unhurried. Fees and hours are not published; we confirm them, and the exact meeting point, when the visit is set.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
7830-40 St. Helena Highway, Oakville
AVA
Oakville
Visiting
By request only: tastings are arranged through the winery's contact form, and the team replies to set a time. We arrange it on your behalf.
Known For
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Founded
By Chris and Heidi Hamilton
Good to Know
Hours, fees, ages and group size are not published, so we confirm them when the tasting is arranged. Winemaker Sarah Donley joined the team in 2023.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Bardessono or Hotel Villagio.
10:00 · Pickup at Bardessono or Hotel Villagio
Both are in Yountville, about 8 minutes south of Oakville on Highway 29. The tasting time is set when the Hamilton team replies to the request, and we shift the day around it. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Chris Hamilton Cellars
A tasting arranged by request with the Hamilton team; the fee is confirmed when the visit is set. We allow about an hour.
11:30 · Bella Union
About 8 minutes away. Far Niente's Rutherford winery for blends, with an artist in residence and a glass-walled Jewel Box room over the valley. Taste of Bella pours four wines with chef's snacks, $65, about an hour. Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; reservations recommended.
12:45 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 12 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29 just north of Yountville, a Napa Valley favorite for more than 40 years, open daily for lunch. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:05 · Robinson Family Vineyards
About 12 minutes away. A Stags Leap District family estate built against the rocky Palisades, where a member of the Robinson family hosts every visit. The private tour and seated tasting of four current releases is $65, about an hour and 15 minutes. By appointment, Tuesday to Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back in Yountville by about 3:35 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $130 per person in tasting fees for Bella Union and Robinson Family, plus Chris Hamilton's fee, which is confirmed when the visit is arranged; each paid directly to the winery.
Robinson Family hosts Tuesday to Saturday, so plan this day for those days. The Chris Hamilton tasting time is set by the winery, so the order of the day may shift.
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 Chris Hamilton?
Yes. Tastings are arranged by request through the winery's contact form. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Chris Hamilton?
Chris Hamilton does not publish its tasting fees, so they are to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Who owns Chris Hamilton Cellars?
Chris and Heidi Hamilton. The wines are sold under the Hamilton Wine Collective name.
Who makes the Chris Hamilton wines?
Sarah Donley, who joined in 2023 after six years at Colgin Cellars (rising to assistant winemaker), then Wheeler Farms and ADAMVS Estate.
Where is Chris Hamilton Cellars?
The winery's address is 7830-40 St. Helena Highway in Oakville, on Highway 29 in the Oakville AVA.
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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