St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Howell Mountain Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Wines from Beatty Ranch, home of the oldest Zinfandel on Howell Mountain, poured at The Saint in downtown St. Helena, and a suggested six-hour day around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Mike Beatty came to California from an Ohio farm family to study at Stanford. In 1977 he bought a struggling vineyard at 1,800 feet on Howell Mountain, named it Beatty Ranch and farmed it for quality, selling grapes to well-known wineries. Howell Mountain Vineyards had its first crush in 1988, and all its wines come from the ranch.
In 1983 Mike and four neighbors, Randy Dunn, Bob Brakesman, Bill Smith and Bob Lamborn, met around his kitchen table to map what became the Howell Mountain AVA. The 34-acre ranch is about two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Zinfandel, and is home to the oldest Zinfandel in the appellation. Bryan Kane has made the wines since 2010.
Guests taste in town rather than on the mountain, at The Saint Wine Lounge on Main Street in downtown St. Helena. The daily tasting is three generous pours at the bar or on a velvet couch, and there are seated tastings with a cheese and charcuterie board.
Tasting Fees
$49 for the Daily Wine Tasting, three wines at the bar or a table. $79 (plus tax and gratuity) for a guided tasting with a cheese and charcuterie board. $119 for the private food and wine tasting.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1351 Main Street, St. Helena
AVA
Howell Mountain
Visiting
Pours at The Saint, 1351 Main Street, St. Helena. Monday 3 to 7 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 3 to 8 p.m., Thursday 3 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday noon to 11 p.m., Sunday noon to 7 p.m. Reservations recommended for the daily tasting.
Known For
Beatty Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon and old-vine Zinfandel from Howell Mountain
Founded
1988 (first crush); Beatty Ranch bought in 1977
Good to Know
Up to 6 guests per table for the daily tasting. Seated food tastings have a last seating at 6 p.m. Tastings are at The Saint in town, not at the ranch.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 11:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Meadowood. The Saint opens at noon Friday through Sunday, so the day starts later.
11:45 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Meadowood
Harvest Inn, just south of town, and Meadowood, east of downtown, are each about 8 minutes from The Saint. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
12:00 · Howell Mountain Vineyards
The Daily Wine Tasting at The Saint, three wines from Beatty Ranch ($49). We plan about 50 minutes.
1:00 · Cathiard Vineyard
About 8 minutes away. A family estate on Zinfandel Lane with a gravity-flow winery and a horseshoe-shaped cellar cut into the hill. The Private Estate Experience is $175: a hosted tour of the winery and cellar, then a tasting of the estate's three wines. By reservation only.
2:25 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 6 minutes away. Lunch at Farmstead, Long Meadow Ranch's farm-to-table restaurant at the south end of St. Helena, open daily from 11:30 a.m. or earlier, with service through the afternoon. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
3:45 · Sherwin Family Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. A family winery high on Spring Mountain, with tastings in the tasting room or on the patio. The Winery Tasting is $95 (plus booking fees), by appointment, waived with a minimum wine purchase.
4:45 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 5:00 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $319 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
The Saint opens at 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On those days we start at 10:00 with Cathiard, lunch and Sherwin, and finish at The Saint at 3:00.
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 Howell Mountain Vineyards?
Reservations are recommended but not required for the daily tasting, and the seated food tastings are booked ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Howell Mountain Vineyards?
$49 per person for the Daily Wine Tasting, $79 with a cheese and charcuterie board and $119 for the private food and wine tasting, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste Howell Mountain Vineyards wines?
At The Saint Wine Lounge, 1351 Main Street in downtown St. Helena. The vineyard, Beatty Ranch, is on Howell Mountain.
Did Howell Mountain Vineyards help create the Howell Mountain AVA?
Yes. Mike Beatty hosted the 1983 kitchen-table meeting with Randy Dunn, Bob Brakesman, Bill Smith and Bob Lamborn that led to the appellation.
Who makes the wine?
Bryan Kane, who partners with the Beatty family and has made the wines since 2010.
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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