Calistoga · Napa Valley
Visit Elusa with a Private Chauffeur
A small Calistoga Cabernet winery on the grounds of Four Seasons Napa Valley, with Thomas Rivers Brown as winemaker and a vineyard planted among the villas, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Elusa's vineyard was first planted in 2001, and Elusa acquired the property in 2010. Thomas Rivers Brown, one of Napa Valley's best-known winemakers, began crafting estate wines from the existing Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, and the vineyard was later replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon only. The name traces to Calistoga's earliest inhabitants and means keeping hold of something precious.
The winery sits on a resort property, Four Seasons Napa Valley, at the northern edge of the valley where the Vaca Mountains meet the Silverado Trail, and the vines grow among the villas. The winery is in the Calistoga AVA, its wines come from vineyards within about four miles, and the deep library goes back to the first 2010 harvest. The wines are sold only to members and guests.
Tastings are relaxed and personal, in art-filled rooms and outdoor courtyards. The Calistoga Exploration skips a set flight: your host learns what you like and pours four wines to match. The private experiences add a tour of the winemaking spaces and vineyard, from tank room to cellar, with library or single-vineyard wines and food. Guests staying at the resort can walk over.
Tasting Fees
$55 for the Calistoga Exploration, four wines chosen around your preferences, about 45 minutes. The Library Experience and the Terroir Tasting (single-vineyard Cabernets with food, a facility tour included) each run about 90 minutes for up to six guests; their fees are shown at booking and are 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
400 Silverado Trail N, Suite A, Calistoga
AVA
Calistoga
Visiting
Open Thursday to Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Wednesdays. Final tasting session at 3:30 p.m. Reservations are highly encouraged; call or text for same-day times.
Known For
Small-lot Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, plus a library of vintages back to 2010
Founded
2010 (property acquired; vineyard planted in 2001)
Good to Know
Private experiences take up to six guests. The wines are sold only to members and guests. Ask about age and pet policies when booking; they are not published.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Four Seasons Napa Valley or Calistoga Motor Lodge.
10:00 · Pickup at Four Seasons Napa Valley or Calistoga Motor Lodge
Elusa is on the Four Seasons Napa Valley grounds, so resort guests are already there; Calistoga Motor Lodge, a retro-styled spa motel in downtown Calistoga, is about 5 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Elusa Winery
The Calistoga Exploration, about 45 minutes ($55). A Library Experience or Terroir Tasting runs about 90 minutes and moves the rest of the day back by 45 minutes.
11:15 · Vineyard 29
About 15 minutes away. A St. Helena estate north of town, where the Signature Experience opens with a CRU wine, tours the winery and caves, then pours current Vineyard 29 and CRU releases with a seasonal, locally sourced spread. $110, 1.5 hours, by appointment.
1:00 · Lunch at Market
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Market, an American restaurant in a historic brick and stone building on Main Street in St. Helena, open for lunch Monday to Saturday from noon. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:20 · Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery
About 20 minutes away. A mountaintop winery on Spring Mountain, where winemaker Charles Smith welcomes visitors and the Cook's Flat Reserve honors the 1884 land patent for the property. The Smith-Madrone Tasting is $65; allow about an hour. Prepaid reservation required, for 2 to 10 guests.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:50 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $230 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Elusa is closed on Wednesdays, and Market serves lunch Monday to Saturday, so plan this day Thursday to Saturday or Monday to Tuesday.
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 Elusa?
Reservations are highly encouraged, and same-day times are by phone or text. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Elusa?
$55 per person for the Calistoga Exploration, about 45 minutes. The private Library and Terroir experiences run about 90 minutes; their fees are confirmed at booking, as of September 2026.
Where is Elusa Winery?
On the grounds of Four Seasons Napa Valley at 400 Silverado Trail North in Calistoga, in the Calistoga AVA.
Who makes Elusa's wine?
Thomas Rivers Brown, who has made the estate's wines from the early vintages, with a minimalist approach.
Can I buy Elusa wine in stores?
No. Elusa's wines are made in small quantities and sold only to members and guests.
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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