St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Markham with a Private Chauffeur
A Merlot pioneer around a stone cellar built in 1879, with walk-in tastings north of St. Helena, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Markham's story starts with Jean Laurent, who left Bordeaux in 1852 for the California Gold Rush. He founded a winery north of St. Helena in 1874 and built its stone cellar in 1879. In 1939 the cellar became the St. Helena Co-Operative Winery. In the late 1970s Arizona businessman Bruce Markham bought the old cellar and 230 acres of vineyards, and Markham Vineyards was born in 1977.
Merlot is the flagship. Markham made its first Merlot in 1980, which the winery says made it the fourth Napa Valley winery to produce one, and Wine Spectator named the 1990 vintage its Merlot of the Year. Kimberlee Nicholls, head winemaker since 2001 and one of the valley's first women in that role, works with 260 acres of estate vineyards in Calistoga, Yountville and the Oak Knoll District.
The tasting room sits on Highway 29 just north of town, in the St. Helena AVA, beside the historic stone cellar. Guided tastings are poured in a bright tasting room or on shaded garden patios under olive trees. Walk-ins are welcome for the Discovery of Napa tasting, leashed dogs are welcome throughout, and families can visit too, with the garden patios suggested for children.
Tasting Fees
$55 for Discovery of Napa, a guided comparative tasting of District Series wines, 90 minutes. $90 for Exploration of Markham, top-tier and library wines with local cheeses and cured meats, 90 minutes. $150 for the private Cabernet Connoisseur's Experience with library wines and a barrel tasting, 2 hours.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
2812 St. Helena Highway North, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Walk-ins are welcome for Discovery of Napa; the other tastings are by reservation.
Known For
Merlot, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties, and a stone cellar built in 1879
Founded
1977 (original winery founded in 1874; stone cellar built in 1879)
Good to Know
Children are welcome; the winery suggests the garden patios for families. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome. No outside food; cheese boards can be added when you book. Online bookings take up to 20 guests for Discovery of Napa, 6 for Exploration of Markham and 7 for the private tasting.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Markham opens at 10 a.m., so the tasting starts right away. Alila Napa Valley, an adults-focused resort beside Beringer in St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from Markham, and Harvest Inn, a vineyard-side resort at the south end of town, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Markham Vineyards
Discovery of Napa, 90 minutes ($55), in the tasting room or on the garden patios. Exploration of Markham ($90) adds cheese and charcuterie and runs the same 90 minutes, so the rest of the day stays on schedule.
12:00 · Keenan Winery
About 15 minutes away. A three-generation family estate founded in 1974, 1,700 feet up in the Spring Mountain District on the site of an 1890s winery. Tastings are $50, about 75 minutes, applied toward a wine purchase of $50 or more. By appointment; open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1:30 · Lunch at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
About 15 minutes away. Lunch back down the mountain at Farmstead, the Long Meadow Ranch restaurant on Main Street in St. Helena, open daily from 11:30 a.m. (11 a.m. on weekends). Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:45 · Honig Vineyard & Winery
About 10 minutes away. A family winery in Rutherford since 1964, whose first wine, in 1980, was a Sauvignon Blanc made in the vineyard's old tractor barn. The seated Terrace Tasting of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon is $40. By reservation, daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 21 and over (a family terrace tasting runs before noon).
3:50 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Alpha Omega
Adds about 90 minutes. A family-owned winery on the Rutherford Bench, with a terrace facing its fountains and the Mayacamas Mountains. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows; terrace and indoor tastings are from $75 for 90 minutes, with last seating at 4:30 p.m.
About $145 to $180 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 Markham?
Not for Discovery of Napa, which welcomes walk-ins, though the winery recommends booking in busy seasons. Exploration of Markham and the private Cabernet Connoisseur's Experience are by reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Markham?
$55 per person for Discovery of Napa, $90 for Exploration of Markham and $150 for the private Cabernet Connoisseur's Experience, as of September 2026.
Can children visit Markham?
Yes. Children are welcome, and the winery suggests booking an outdoor tasting on the garden patios for families.
What is Markham known for?
Merlot. Markham made its first Merlot in 1980, one of the first in Napa Valley, and Wine Spectator named its 1990 vintage Merlot of the Year. It also makes Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties.
How old is the Markham stone cellar?
Jean Laurent built it in 1879, five years after founding his winery on the site. It later became the St. Helena Co-Operative Winery before Bruce Markham bought it in the late 1970s.
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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