Howell Mountain · Napa Valley
Visit La Jota with a Private Chauffeur
One of Howell Mountain's founding wineries, from 1898, tasted by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga, and a suggested six-hour day around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Swiss newspaperman Frederick Hess founded La Jota in 1898 on part of the old Rancho La Jota, building a stone winery from volcanic rock quarried on site. A La Jota white won a bronze medal at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Bill and Joan Smith revived the estate in the 1970s, and Bill was one of the growers who mapped the Howell Mountain AVA in 1983.
Jackson Family Wines bought La Jota in 2005, and Chris Carpenter makes the wines. They are small-lot Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from three estate vineyards high on the mountain, plus a Chardonnay from the W.S. Keyes Vineyard. La Jota is part of the family's Spire Collection.
The vineyard and old stone winery on Howell Mountain are not open to the public. La Jota hosts tastings instead at the Spire Collection estate on Bennett Lane in Calistoga, by appointment, as a private seated experience. We arrange it on your behalf and ask for La Jota wines to be included.
Tasting Fees
$75 per person for the Seated Tasting at the Spire Collection's Calistoga estate, a selection of five wines chosen around your preferences.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3299 Bennett Lane, Calistoga
AVA
Howell Mountain
Visiting
The Howell Mountain estate is not open to the public. La Jota's wines are tasted by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga (3299 Bennett Lane), with seated tastings from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Known For
Small-lot Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and W.S. Keyes Vineyard Chardonnay
Founded
1898 (revived in the 1970s; Jackson Family Wines since 2005)
Good to Know
Tastings at the Spire Collection estate are for guests 21 and over, for 1 to 6 guests. Animals are not allowed in the tasting spaces, except credentialed service animals.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Four Seasons Napa Valley or Indian Springs.
10:00 · Pickup at Four Seasons Napa Valley or Indian Springs
Four Seasons Napa Valley, on the Silverado Trail south of Calistoga, is about 10 minutes from the Spire Collection estate, and Indian Springs in town is about 8 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · La Jota Vineyard Co.
A seated tasting of five wines at the Spire Collection estate on Bennett Lane, where La Jota hosts its tastings ($75). We ask for La Jota's Howell Mountain wines when we book. We plan about an hour.
11:30 · Jericho Canyon Vineyard
About 12 minutes away. A family estate in a canyon north of Calistoga, with terraced hillside Cabernet Sauvignon. The Private Estate Tasting with an ATV vineyard tour is $100, about 75 minutes, by appointment.
12:55 · Lunch at Solbar
About 15 minutes away. Lunch at Solbar at Solage, with seasonal Napa Valley cooking and a patio by the pool. Lunch runs Monday to Saturday, with brunch on Sunday. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:00 · Fisher Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A family winery on the Silverado Trail known for its Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon. The Self-Guided Adirondack Tasting is $95, about an hour, for up to 4 guests; the hosted Estate Tasting is $95 for 90 minutes. By appointment, with a $20 deposit.
3:00 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:10 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $270 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each 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 La Jota?
Yes. The Howell Mountain estate is not open to the public, and tastings are by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at La Jota?
$75 per person for the Seated Tasting at the Spire Collection's Calistoga estate, as of September 2026.
Can I visit the La Jota winery on Howell Mountain?
Not as a public visit. La Jota's vineyard and stone winery are not open to the public, so the winery hosts tastings at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga.
How old is La Jota?
La Jota was founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, who built its stone winery from volcanic rock quarried on the property.
Who owns La Jota?
Jackson Family Wines, since 2005. Chris Carpenter is the winemaker.
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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