Los Carneros · Napa Valley
Visit Cuvaison with a Private Chauffeur
Cool-climate Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a Swiss family estate, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Cuvaison was founded in 1969 near Calistoga. In 1979 the Swiss Schmidheiny family bought it and added about 400 acres in Los Carneros, and the family owns it today.
Its tasting room now sits among those Carneros vineyards, cooled by breezes from San Pablo Bay, which suit Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Steve Rogstad has led the winemaking since 2002, and the vineyard is Napa Green certified.
Cuvaison is known for estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with mountain reds from its sister estate, Brandlin, on Mount Veeder. Tastings are relaxed and seated, looking out over the vines.
Tasting Fees
$40 for the outdoor VineYard tasting, Friday to Sunday. $60 for the Estate Tasting, about an hour. $85 for the 90-minute Winemaker's Tasting. Boathouse experiences from $130.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1221 Duhig Road, Napa (Carneros)
AVA
Los Carneros
Visiting
Open Friday to Monday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Every tasting is by reservation.
Known For
Carneros Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Founded
1969
Good to Know
Groups of up to 6. Guests must be 21 or older, including non-drinkers, except at the outdoor VineYard tasting. No pets indoors; dogs join only the Wine Tails Trail.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Carneros hotel such as Carneros Resort and Spa or Stanly Ranch.
10:00 · Pickup at Carneros Resort and Spa or Stanly Ranch
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Carneros Resort and Spa, with vineyard cottages in Los Carneros, is about 4 minutes from Cuvaison, and Stanly Ranch, an Auberge resort on a working ranch at the south end of the valley, is about 8 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Cuvaison
The Estate Tasting, about an hour ($60).
11:25 · Domaine Carneros
About 2 minutes away. A French-style château built by the Champagne house Taittinger, pouring sparkling wine on its terrace. Tastings from $45, about an hour. By reservation, 21 and over.
12:35 · Lunch at Boon Fly Café
About 5 minutes away. Lunch at Boon Fly Café at Carneros Resort, a roadhouse open daily with brunch until 4 p.m.; lunch is first come, first served. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:50 · Bouchaine Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A family estate that calls itself the oldest continuously operating winery in Carneros, known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Garden Tasting is about 90 minutes ($45; all ages and dogs welcome); the Terrace Tasting is about an hour ($75). By reservation.
3:35 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Madonna Estate
Adds about an hour. The Bartolucci family's organic, dry-farmed estate, one of the few in Napa Valley that still takes walk-ins. Tastings are $30, waived with two bottles; open until 5 p.m. Families and dogs welcome.
About $150 to $180 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. This day works Friday to Monday, when Cuvaison opens at 10; on other days it opens at 11 and we adjust the order.
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 Cuvaison?
Yes. Every tasting is by reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Cuvaison?
$60 per person for the Estate Tasting, $85 for the Winemaker's Tasting and $40 for the outdoor VineYard tasting, as of September 2026.
Where is Cuvaison?
In Los Carneros, at 1221 Duhig Road, among the family's estate vineyards.
Can children visit Cuvaison?
Guests must be 21 or older, except at the outdoor VineYard tasting.
Who owns Cuvaison?
The Schmidheiny family of Switzerland, since 1979.
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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