Soda Canyon · Napa Valley
Visit Modus Operandi with a Private Chauffeur
A small, owner-run winery that pours by appointment in a candlelit cave above Soda Canyon, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Jason Moore grew up in Dallas and worked in restaurants before moving to California in 2002, at 24, with $5,000 and no formal winemaking training. He apprenticed with an older vineyard owner in Napa and made wine in a garage. In 2004 he founded Modus Operandi with 200 cases of Napa Cabernet. He and his wife, Angelica, co-founded it and still own it, and he makes the wines.
Production stays small and aimed at collectors. The list centers on Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, as blends and single-vineyard bottlings, alongside vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs such as Gap's Crown and Bacigalupi, Syrah from Hyde and Caldwell, Sauvignon Blanc and experimental lots like Antithesis. A second label, Vicarious, is poured at the same tastings. Moore describes winemaking as "an art form that is supported by science."
Tastings are held at The Caves at Soda Canyon, about 1,500 feet up in the hills east of the Silverado Trail, in the Napa Valley appellation. Guests sit among the barrels in a cool, candlelit cave with views back over the valley. The Classic Tasting pours four to five current releases in a relaxed, unhurried setting, with a cheese platter available to add.
Tasting Fees
$100 for the Classic Tasting of four to five current releases, waived with a six-bottle purchase per person; a cheese platter is $25 per couple. $150 for the Winemaker Tasting with owner Jason Moore (four-guest minimum, prepaid). $250 for the Brasswood Lunch Pairing, a four-course lunch with Jason at Brasswood in St. Helena, about two hours, food, wine, service and tax included.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
2275 Soda Canyon Road, Napa
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
By appointment only; book ahead through Tock.
Known For
Small-production Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, plus vineyard-designate Pinot Noir and Syrah
Founded
2004
Good to Know
Parties of 2 to 10 guests. Tastings are held in a cave at The Caves at Soda Canyon, a winery facility up a winding hill road.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:40 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Silverado Resort or Milliken Creek.
9:40 · Pickup at Silverado Resort or Milliken Creek
The day starts with a 10:00 a.m. tasting at Modus Operandi, and the cave is a drive up Soda Canyon Road, so pickup is a little earlier than usual. Silverado Resort, a golf and spa resort at the foot of Atlas Peak, is about 15 minutes from the cave, and Milliken Creek, a small inn on the Napa River, is about 20 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Modus Operandi Cellars
The Classic Tasting ($100), four to five current releases poured among the barrels in the cave. The Winemaker Tasting with Jason Moore ($150, four-guest minimum) is available by request when booking.
11:20 · Materra
About 15 minutes away. A Cunat family winery in the Oak Knoll District whose Japanese Series, made with owner Miki Cunat, is crafted to pair with Japanese cuisine. The Materra Experience of five wines, inside or on the patio, is $45. By reservation; last tasting at 4 p.m.
12:35 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29, a Napa Valley institution 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.
1:50 · Chimney Rock Winery
About 10 minutes away. A Stags Leap District winery on the Silverado Trail, owned by the Terlato family, with tastings on a shaded patio or in private salons. The Taste of Terroir is $75 and runs 90 minutes. Reservations recommended; walk-ins welcome when space allows.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by 3:40 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Black Stallion Estate Winery
Adds about an hour. An Oak Knoll estate on the Silverado Trail with terrace views across the valley. The stand-up Bar Tasting of four wines needs no reservation ($30, about 30 minutes). Open Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
About $220 to $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 Modus Operandi?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment only and booked in advance through Tock. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Modus Operandi?
$100 per person for the Classic Tasting, $150 for the Winemaker Tasting with Jason Moore and $250 for the Brasswood Lunch Pairing, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste at Modus Operandi?
In a candlelit barrel cave at The Caves at Soda Canyon, 2275 Soda Canyon Road, about 1,500 feet above the valley floor in the hills east of Napa.
Who owns Modus Operandi?
Jason Moore and his wife, Angelica, who co-founded the winery in 2004 with 200 cases of Napa Cabernet. Jason is also the winemaker.
What is Modus Operandi known for?
Small-production Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, along with vineyard-designate Pinot Noir and Syrah and a second label, Vicarious.
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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