Calistoga · Napa Valley
Visit Joseph Cellars with a Private Chauffeur
A family estate looking out at the Palisades, with 12,000 square feet of caves and a vineyard reaching into Diamond Mountain, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Joseph Cellars is the Bartholomew family's winery, on a 32-acre property at the north end of Napa Valley on Highway 29, just south of Calistoga. The family grows its own grapes, hand farms them with sustainable practices, and makes its Estate Cabernet entirely from fruit grown on the property, which spans the Calistoga AVA and the Diamond Mountain District.
Winemaker Al Perry fell for wine while working in a Southern California wine shop and has more than 30 years of winemaking behind him, including nearly two decades as co-founder and winemaker at Biale in Napa, where he was credited with keeping Zinfandel's place in the valley. The lineup runs from Pinot Noir to the Estate Cabernet, and the property also has a vineyard guest house.
Guests love the setting: the tasting room looks out at the Palisades, and most experiences walk through 12,000 square feet of caves, the production area or the Estate Cabernet vineyard. Options run from a quick four-wine Sip Station to a library vertical, and the patio is kid and dog friendly. We book ahead; same-day visits are by phone.
Tasting Fees
$49 for the Sip Station, four wines in 30 minutes. $75 for the Palisades Experience, a private seated tasting with a cave tour, 75 minutes, and $85 for the Estate Tour & Tasting (Sundays at 10 a.m., 75 minutes). $115 for Savor & Swirl and $125 for the Cave Experience with a food pairing, each 90 minutes. $150 for the seasonal Motif Tasting (90 minutes) and $1,500 for up to 8 guests for the two-hour Cab Lovers Experience.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
4455 St. Helena Highway North, Calistoga
AVA
Calistoga
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tastings are booked online; call for same-day appointments and groups larger than 8.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and cave tours with views of the Palisades
Founded
Family owned by the Bartholomew family (founding year not published)
Good to Know
Kid and dog friendly on the patio. Members taste free. Groups larger than 8 call ahead. The Estate Tour & Tasting runs on Sundays at 10 a.m.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Calistoga Motor Lodge or Cottage Grove Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Calistoga Motor Lodge or Cottage Grove Inn
Calistoga Motor Lodge, a restyled mid-century lodge with its own spa, and Cottage Grove Inn, a row of cottages at the top of Lincoln Avenue, are each about 8 minutes from Joseph Cellars. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Joseph Cellars
The Palisades Experience, a private seated tasting in the club lounge or on the patio with a tour of the caves, about 75 minutes ($75). The Sip Station ($49, 30 minutes) is a quicker option; the Cave Experience ($125, 90 minutes) adds a food pairing and moves the day back 15 minutes.
11:45 · Chateau Boswell Winery
About 12 minutes away. A family winery founded in 1979 on the Silverado Trail north of St. Helena, with a hand-hewn stone winery; during your appointment your group is the only one on the property. Chateau Boswell does not publish a tasting fee; we confirm it when we book and allow about an hour. By appointment only.
1:00 · Lunch at Gott's Roadside
About 10 minutes away. Classic American fare at picnic tables on Main Street in St. Helena, open daily from 11 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:10 · Ink Grade
About 10 minutes away. A Howell Mountain vineyard first planted in the 1870s, poured at the Heitz Cellar Home Ranch on Taplin Road, with a tour of the Stone Cellar before a seated tasting of five wines. Ink Grade: The Study of Mountain Terroir is $150, 90 minutes to 2 hours. By appointment, seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:05 p.m., about six hours after pickup.
About $225 per person in tasting fees for Joseph Cellars and Ink Grade, plus Chateau Boswell's fee, which is confirmed when we book; each paid directly to the winery.
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 Joseph Cellars?
Yes, book ahead online; same-day appointments and groups larger than 8 are by phone. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Joseph Cellars?
$49 for the Sip Station, $75 for the Palisades Experience with a cave tour, and $85 to $150 for the tour, cave and food pairing tastings, as of September 2026.
Can children and dogs visit Joseph Cellars?
Yes. The winery says it is kid and dog friendly on the patio; tastings are for adults 21 and over.
Who makes the Joseph Cellars wines?
Al Perry, who co-founded Biale in Napa and was its winemaker for nearly two decades.
Who owns Joseph Cellars?
The Bartholomew family, who farm the 32-acre estate.
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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