Pritchard Hill · Napa Valley
Visit Gandona with a Private Chauffeur
A small Pritchard Hill estate above Lake Hennessey with Portuguese roots, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Manuel Pires grew up spending summers on his grandfather's farm in Portugal's Douro region. In 2006 he and his wife Cristina bought an estate on Pritchard Hill and began building Gandona, named for his grandfather's village nickname, which translates loosely to "humble man." The land has a long wine past: Bob Long planted a vineyard here in 1966, and Long Vineyards was founded on the site in 1977.
The estate farms 17 acres, mostly Bordeaux varieties, on steep slopes high above Lake Hennessey, in the Napa Valley appellation. Gandona uses no outside grapes. Its winery, finished in 2010, ferments in concrete tanks and ages wine in a cave dug into the hill. A small block of Touriga Nacional goes into Fraga do Arco, a port-style wine named for the family farm in Portugal.
Visits are by appointment. The hospitality area has a black and white limestone floor in a wave pattern, laid by craftsmen from Portugal and inspired by Lisbon's Rossio Square. The winery's walls were built from boulders dug out of the cave, and its doors were made from oak and an old redwood water tank. Winemaker Graeme MacDonald comes from a family that has grown grapes in the To-Kalon Vineyard for generations.
Tasting Fees
Gandona does not publish its tasting fees. The fee is confirmed when the appointment is made.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1533 Sage Canyon Road, St. Helena
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
By appointment only. Book by email or phone, and call ahead to confirm hours.
Known For
Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and the port-style Fraga do Arco
Founded
2006 (winery completed in 2010)
Good to Know
Visits are arranged directly with the winery by email or phone. The estate sits high on Pritchard Hill above Lake Hennessey, east of the Silverado Trail.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Auberge du Soleil or Harvest Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Auberge du Soleil or Harvest Inn
Auberge du Soleil, the hillside inn above Rutherford, is about 15 minutes from Gandona, and Harvest Inn, a vineyard-side resort at the south end of St. Helena, is about 20 minutes away. The drive climbs from the Silverado Trail up Sage Canyon toward Lake Hennessey. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:20 · Gandona Estate
A seated visit by appointment at the estate, with views over Lake Hennessey. We plan about an hour here; your chauffeur confirms the time and fee with the winery when booking.
11:35 · Amizetta Estate Winery
About 15 minutes away. A family estate on the southern slopes of Howell Mountain with a 40-acre vineyard. The tasting is $100 and runs about 75 minutes. By reservation, seven days a week, 21 and over.
1:10 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 20 minutes away. Lunch at Farmstead in St. Helena, an American farmhouse restaurant cooking with produce and meat from the Long Meadow Ranch farm. Open daily for lunch, from 11:30 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Far Niente Winery
About 12 minutes away. A restored 19th-century stone winery in Oakville with gardens and caves. The Il Dolce Far Niente tasting under the cork trees is $130 and runs 60 minutes. By appointment; 21 and over, no children or pets.
3:35 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Markham Vineyards
Adds about 90 minutes. A St. Helena winery pouring since 1980, with a tasting room and garden patios. Walk-ins are welcome for the Discovery of Napa tasting ($55, 1.5 hours), and leashed dogs are allowed. Open daily until 5:30 p.m.
About $230 per person in tasting fees for Amizetta and Far Niente, paid directly to each winery, plus Gandona's fee, which the winery confirms when the visit is booked.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
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 Gandona?
Yes. Visits are by appointment, arranged by email or phone with the winery. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Gandona?
Gandona does not publish its tasting fee online. The winery confirms the fee when the appointment is made, as of September 2026.
What does the name Gandona mean?
It was the village nickname of owner Manuel Pires's grandfather in Portugal, and it translates loosely to "humble man."
What is Fraga do Arco?
A port-style wine made from 100% Touriga Nacional grown on the estate, named after the family's farm in Portugal's Douro region.
Who owns Gandona?
Manuel and Cristina Pires, who bought the Pritchard Hill estate in 2006.
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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