Oxbow District · Napa Valley
Visit Gustavo with a Private Chauffeur
The Oxbow District tasting room of winemaker Gustavo Brambila, who started at Chateau Montelena in the year of the Judgment of Paris, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Gustavo Brambila was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and grew up in Oakville and Rutherford, where his father worked for Beaulieu Vineyard. After a degree in fermentation science at UC Davis, he began his career at Chateau Montelena in 1976, two months before its Chardonnay took the top white score at the Judgment of Paris. In the 2008 film Bottle Shock, Freddy Rodriguez plays him.
In 1977 he joined Mike Grgich and Austin Hills at Grgich Hills, where his first harvest produced the winning Chardonnay at the Great Chardonnay Showdown of 1980. He stayed 23 years, launched his own label as Gustavo Thrace in 1996, opened what the winery calls the first downtown wine tasting room in 2002, and renamed the brand Gustavo Wine in 2013. It remains a family business.
The tasting room is on McKinstry Street in the Oxbow District, by appointment. Gustavo calls his style old world: balanced, food-friendly wines true to each variety. For a real treat, book the Private Tasting with Gustavo himself, 60 to 90 minutes, with wines not yet released, a cheese pairing and a chance to have your bottle signed; at the winery on Enterprise Way it adds a barrel tasting.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees 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
1021 McKinstry Street, Napa
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
The Oxbow District tasting room is by appointment only, Wednesday to Monday, 12:30 to 6 p.m. Book by phone or text with the hospitality team, or by email.
Known For
Balanced, old-world-style wines from a winemaker of the Judgment of Paris era
Founded
1996 (as Gustavo Thrace; Gustavo Wine since 2013)
Good to Know
The Private Tasting with Gustavo needs 72 hours' notice and runs 60 to 90 minutes, at the tasting room or the winery at 902 Enterprise Way. The winery asks guests to contact it to confirm hours before visiting.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Westin Verasa Napa or Napa River Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Westin Verasa Napa or Napa River Inn
Gustavo's tasting room opens at 12:30 p.m., so we spend the morning in Carneros and finish in the Oxbow District. Westin Verasa Napa, next to Oxbow Public Market, and Napa River Inn, at the historic Napa Mill on the river, are both about 15 minutes from Etude and a few minutes from Gustavo. The day below fits about six hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Etude Wines
About 15 minutes away. A Carneros winery devoted to Pinot Noir for 40 years, which also makes single-vineyard Napa Cabernets. The seated Terroir Experience is $55 for about an hour. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; appointments are recommended and walk-ins are welcome.
11:30 · Artesa Vineyards & Winery
About 10 minutes away. A Carneros winery set into a hilltop, with Spanish roots. The Artisanal Tasting of five Spanish-variety blends is $80; we allow about an hour. Open daily 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last seating at 4); reservations are encouraged.
12:50 · Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni
About 20 minutes away. Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni, an Italian restaurant among the vineyards on Howard Lane, a valley favorite for more than 30 years, open daily from 11:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Gustavo Wine
About 10 minutes away. A seated tasting by appointment in the Oxbow District tasting room; we allow about an hour. The Private Tasting with Gustavo himself runs 60 to 90 minutes and needs 72 hours' notice.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:35 p.m., or closer to 4 p.m. with the Private Tasting with Gustavo.
About $135 per person in tasting fees for Etude and Artesa, plus Gustavo's tasting fee, which is confirmed when we reserve. Fees are paid directly to each winery.
The Gustavo tasting room is open Wednesday to Monday by appointment from 12:30 p.m., so this day works on those days and saves Gustavo for the afternoon.
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 Gustavo?
Yes. The tasting room is by appointment only, Wednesday to Monday, and the Private Tasting with Gustavo needs 72 hours' notice. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Gustavo?
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation. Gustavo does not publish them online, so we confirm the fee when we book, as of September 2026.
Is Gustavo Brambila in the film Bottle Shock?
Yes. He began his career at Chateau Montelena in 1976, the year of the Judgment of Paris, and Freddy Rodriguez plays him in the 2008 film Bottle Shock.
Can I meet Gustavo Brambila?
Yes, by booking the Private Tasting with the winemaker himself, 60 to 90 minutes, with at least 72 hours' notice.
Where is the Gustavo tasting room?
At 1021 McKinstry Street in Napa's Oxbow District, near Oxbow Public Market.
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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