Napa · Napa Valley
Visit Coup de Foudre with a Private Chauffeur
John Schwartz's small downtown Napa winery, named for love at first sight, with a barrel-selection Cabernet from a 1,600-foot Atlas Peak vineyard, tasted by appointment, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Coup de foudre is the French phrase for a lightning strike, or love at first sight. Owner John Schwartz named the winery for the moment in the French Alps when a Frenchman asked his future wife whether she believed in it. John and his wife have worked in wine for some 30 years, and Kent Jarman is the winemaker.
The lineup is small: Cabernet Sauvignon, the 37.2 Cuvée, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and the Lightning Bolt Cabernet, a selection of the six best barrels from an Atlas Peak vineyard at 1,600 feet. Lisa Perrotti-Brown gave the 2023 Lightning Bolt 97 points and the 2023 Cabernet 96 points in January 2026, and the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir 95 each.
Tastings are by appointment only, at the winery's address on Main Street in downtown Napa, and are arranged by phone or email. That makes it an easy first stop for guests staying downtown, and a good one for collectors who want to taste a small, well-reviewed label with the people behind it rather than in a busy room.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation. Coup de Foudre does not publish a tasting fee.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1130 Main Street, Napa
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
Tasting experiences by appointment only, arranged by phone (707-253-8300) or email.
Known For
Lightning Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak, plus Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc
Founded
Founding year not published
Good to Know
Appointments are arranged directly with the winery, so we confirm the time and format when we book.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Stanly Ranch or Milliken Creek Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Stanly Ranch or Milliken Creek Inn
Both hotels are about 10 minutes from downtown Napa. The day below fits about five and a half hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Coup de Foudre Winery
A tasting by appointment. We plan about an hour; the format and any fee are confirmed by the winery.
11:30 · Farella Vineyard
About 10 minutes away. A small family estate in the hills east of Napa, whose winemaker wrote the petition for the Coombsville appellation. A private tasting of estate wines, one party at a time ($50); we allow about an hour. Monday to Friday, by appointment.
12:50 · Lunch at Boon Fly Café
About 20 minutes away. Comfort food in a red barn at Carneros Resort and Spa, named for Carneros pioneer Boon Fly, open daily. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:00 · Truchard Vineyards
About 8 minutes away. A 400-acre Carneros family estate where the tasting is a walk through the vineyards and an 11,000-square-foot wine cave. The Vineyard Tour and Tasting is $55; we allow about 75 minutes. Monday to Friday, by reservation.
3:15 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:30 p.m., five and a half hours after pickup. Add an hour if you would like a fourth stop.
About $105 per person in tasting fees for Farella and Truchard, plus Coup de Foudre's fee (confirmed when we book), paid directly to each winery.
Farella and Truchard host Monday to Friday, so this day works on weekdays.
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 Coup de Foudre?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment only, arranged by phone or email. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Coup de Foudre?
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation; the winery does not publish a fee, as of September 2026.
What does Coup de Foudre mean?
It is French for a lightning strike, or love at first sight, a moment you want to remember forever.
What is Coup de Foudre known for?
The Lightning Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon, a six-barrel selection from an Atlas Peak vineyard at 1,600 feet, which Lisa Perrotti-Brown rated 97 points for the 2023 vintage.
Who owns Coup de Foudre?
John Schwartz and his wife. Kent Jarman is the winemaker.
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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