St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Del Dotto with a Private Chauffeur
A Venetian-style palazzo where Cabernet is drawn straight from the barrel in candlelit marble caves, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Dave and Yolanda Del Dotto moved to Napa Valley from Kona, Hawaii, and founded Del Dotto Vineyards in 1988 on a 17-acre property in Rutherford. The winery says it was the first to bottle wines directly from individual barrels, and it offers dozens of Cabernets from a single vintage to show how the barrel changes the wine.
The Estate Winery & Caves on Highway 29, south of St. Helena, opened in 2007. It is built like a Venetian palazzo, with arches, Murano chandeliers and a marble-lined cave corridor, honoring the family's Venetian winemaking roots.
Del Dotto is not a hushed tasting. In the cave, a host draws Cabernet straight from the barrel with a wine thief and pours it for the group, with a running show of stories and humor, and pizza comes with the barrel samples. It is theatrical and social, and guests tend to either love it or find it a lot. We think it is worth seeing for yourself.
Tasting Fees
$120 plus tax for the Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting, about 90 minutes, with pizza. $75 for the Bar Tasting. The Private Connoisseur Cave Experience is $120 with a $2,500 wine purchase minimum. Non-drinkers are $40.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1445 St. Helena Highway South, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Open Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesdays. By reservation. Piazza Del Dotto, the sister winery in Oakville, is open daily.
Known For
Cabernet Sauvignon tasted from the barrel, and single-barrel bottlings
Founded
1988
Good to Know
Guests must be 21 or older, with photo ID. Online bookings take up to 6 guests; groups of 7 to 10 send a request. The cave tasting is standing and communal. No pets, picnics or wine by the glass. Same-day bookings by phone.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn in St. Helena or Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday the Estate opens at 11, so pickup moves to 10:45.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Harvest Inn, set among gardens at the south end of St. Helena, is about 4 minutes from Del Dotto, and Auberge du Soleil, on the hillside above Rutherford, is about 10 minutes away. This timing is for Friday to Sunday; on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday the Estate opens at 11, so pickup moves to 10:45. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves
The Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting, about 90 minutes ($120), standing in the candlelit caves with barrel samples and pizza.
11:50 · Whitehall Lane Winery
About 2 minutes away. A family winery run by the Leonardini family, known for Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. Seated flights from $40 to $90, about an hour. By reservation.
1:00 · Lunch at Rutherford Grill
About 5 minutes away. Lunch at Rutherford Grill on Highway 29 in Rutherford, 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.
2:10 · St. Supéry Estate
About 3 minutes away. A Rutherford estate whose wines are all estate-grown and Napa Green certified, with an art gallery on site. Flights from $46 to $98, about an hour. Open daily; walk-ins Monday to Thursday when there is space, reservations recommended Friday to Sunday.
3:25 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Grgich Hills Estate
Adds about an hour. Founded by Mike Grgich, the winemaker behind the Chardonnay that won the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Walk-ins are always welcome for wine by the glass or bottle on the garden patio; open until 4:30 p.m.
About $205 to $310 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 Sunday, when Del Dotto opens at 10. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday it opens at 11, so pickup moves to 10:45; it is closed Wednesdays.
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 Del Dotto?
Yes. Visits are by reservation, and same-day bookings are made by phone. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is the Del Dotto cave tour?
$120 per person plus tax for the Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting, as of September 2026, about 90 minutes with pizza. The Bar Tasting is $75.
What is the Del Dotto cave tasting like?
Lively and theatrical. You stand in a candlelit marble cave while a host draws Cabernet from the barrel with a wine thief. Some guests love the show; others prefer a quieter seated tasting.
Which Del Dotto location should I visit?
The Estate Winery & Caves in St. Helena is the Venetian palazzo and the flagship. Piazza Del Dotto in Oakville is open on Wednesdays, when the Estate is closed. The historic winery on Atlas Peak Road closed in May 2026.
Can children visit Del Dotto?
No. Guests must be 21 or older, and pets are not permitted.
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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