St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Macauley with a Private Chauffeur
A family label revived by Mac Watson and winemaker Kirk Venge, with To Kalon and Rutherford Cabernet poured in private, personal tastings in downtown St. Helena, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Ann Macauley Watson started the Macauley Vineyard label in St. Helena in the early 1980s, and for several years it made a well-received late harvest Sauvignon Blanc with winemaker Ric Forman. In 2000 her son Mac went to work at Rudd Estate in Oakville, caught the bug, and revived the family label. He crushed his first grapes in October 2001 with winemaker Kirk Venge, a childhood friend.
Mac and Kirk buy fruit from some of the valley's best-known vineyards: Beckstoffer To Kalon in the Oakville AVA, Star Vineyard in the heart of Rutherford, and Bacigalupi in Sonoma, whose Chardonnay grapes went into the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay that took top honors at the 1976 Paris tasting. Robert Parker wrote that the estate's production is limited, "but these wines merit attention."
The tasting room is a small, private space in downtown St. Helena, a few steps off Main Street. Visits are requested through a short form, and the team answers within a day or two. It is the kind of stop guests like for its personal feel: a small group, the wines and an easy conversation about where the grapes come from.
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
1309 Main Street, Suite D, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
By request. Send the tasting request form on the winery's site and the team responds within 24 to 48 hours; days, hours and fees are confirmed then.
Known For
Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer To Kalon and Star Vineyard, and a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc
Founded
Early 1980s (revived in 2001)
Good to Know
The request form asks for party size and the occasion. Age, group size and pet policies are not published; we confirm them when we book. A virtual tasting is also offered through the site.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley
Both hotels are a few minutes from downtown St. Helena: Harvest Inn on Highway 29 at the south end of town and Alila Napa Valley at the north end. We confirm the tasting time when Macauley answers the request. The day below runs about six and a half hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Macauley Vineyard
A private tasting in the downtown St. Helena tasting room. The length is confirmed with the booking; we plan about an hour. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
11:35 · J.H. Wheeler
About 8 minutes away. A historic farm estate on Zinfandel Lane, settled around 1880, where the visit starts with a walk through the organic culinary gardens. The Culinary Garden Walk and Tasting is $125, about 90 minutes. By reservation, daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1:20 · Lunch at Rutherford Grill
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Rutherford Grill, at Highway 29 and Rutherford Road, open daily for lunch. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:45 · Sinegal Estate Winery
About 12 minutes away. The historic Inglewood Estate west of St. Helena, first planted in 1881, with a private lake, gardens and caves. Estate tastings led by an ambassador are $75 to $100, about 90 minutes, refunded with qualifying purchases. By reservation; days and times are confirmed when we book.
4:15 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:30 p.m., about six and a half hours after pickup.
About $200 to $225 per person in tasting fees at J.H. Wheeler and Sinegal, plus Macauley's fee, which is to be verified upon reservation; each winery is paid directly.
Macauley confirms its tasting times when it answers the request, so we may shift the order of the morning. The day runs about six and a half hours, back by about 4:30 p.m.
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 Macauley?
Yes. Visits are by request through the winery's form, and the team responds within 24 to 48 hours. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Macauley?
Macauley does not publish its tasting fee. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Where is the Macauley tasting room?
At 1309 Main Street in downtown St. Helena, a few steps off Main Street.
Who makes Macauley wines?
Proprietor Mac Watson, who revived his mother's label in 2001, works with winemaker Kirk Venge.
Which vineyards does Macauley use?
Beckstoffer To Kalon in Oakville and Star Vineyard in Rutherford for Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Bacigalupi Vineyard for Chardonnay, among others.
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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