Mount Veeder · Napa Valley
Visit Mt. Brave with a Private Chauffeur
Chris Carpenter's organically farmed Mount Veeder estate above the fog line, with a walk at the Mt. Brave Overlook before a seated tasting, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Mt. Brave is Jackson Family Wines' Mount Veeder estate, founded in 2007. The name is a tribute to the pioneers who settled the mountain's rugged terrain in the 1800s and to the Wappo, its original inhabitants, called "the brave ones." Winemaker Chris Carpenter, who also makes Lokoya, crafts every Mt. Brave bottling entirely from grapes farmed organically on the estate.
The vineyard, once the Chateau Potelle Vineyard, sits above the fog line on the northern tip of the Mount Veeder AVA, at 1,400 to 1,800 feet, on sparse, rocky gravelly loam. Yields are tiny and harvest is by hand in small lug boxes on steep slopes. The wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc) show the blue fruit, violets and firm tannins Mount Veeder is known for.
The Mt. Veeder Experience takes you up to about 2,000 feet: it begins at the Mt. Brave Overlook at the base of the high-altitude Malbec block, among redwoods, oaks and madrones, with walking paced to your group, then moves to a private seated tasting, sometimes with wines from Carpenter's wider portfolio. Mt. Brave is also poured by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga.
Tasting Fees
$175 per person for the Mt. Veeder Experience ($125 for Membership by Spire and Mountain Wine Club members), 90 minutes or more. Hosted Mt. Brave tastings at the Spire Collection in Calistoga are priced when booked.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
Napa
AVA
Mount Veeder
Visiting
By reservation. The Mt. Veeder Experience is booked through Mt. Brave or the Spire Collection on Tock, for parties of 2 to 6; the meeting point is confirmed with the booking. Hosted Mt. Brave tastings are also offered by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga.
Known For
Organically farmed Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc by Chris Carpenter
Founded
2007
Good to Know
Parties of 2 to 6. Your host adjusts the walking to your group, but it is an outdoor mountain visit, so wear good shoes. Mountain Wine Club 12- and 6-bottle members receive one complimentary tasting a year. Virtual tastings are available by email.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Archer Hotel Napa or Milliken Creek Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Archer Hotel Napa or Milliken Creek Inn
Archer Hotel Napa, in downtown Napa, and Milliken Creek Inn, a small inn on the Napa River, are each about 30 minutes from the vineyard up Mount Veeder, so we allow time for the climb. The day below runs about six and a half hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:30 · Mt. Brave
The Mt. Veeder Experience: the Mt. Brave Overlook at the top of the Malbec block, then a private seated tasting, 90 minutes or more ($175).
12:20 · Yates Family Vineyard
About 15 minutes away. Steep Mount Veeder terraces above 1,200 feet, farmed by the Yates family since 1949. A private visit arranged with the family; we plan about 75 minutes, and any fee is confirmed when the visit is set.
1:55 · Lunch at Grace's Table
About 20 minutes away. Lunch at Grace's Table on Second Street in downtown Napa, a sit-down local favorite open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
3:05 · Hudson Ranch
About 15 minutes away. A 2,000-acre Carneros ranch of vineyards, Tuscan olives, heritage livestock and lakes looking toward San Pablo Bay. A private outdoor tasting by appointment; we allow about an hour, and any fee is confirmed by the ranch.
4:05 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:25 p.m., about six and a half hours after pickup.
About $175 per person at Mt. Brave, plus Yates's and Hudson Ranch's fees, which are confirmed when the visits are arranged; each paid directly to the winery.
The mountain visits and drives make this a day of about six and a half hours; extra time is billed by the hour.
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 Mt. Brave?
Yes. The Mt. Veeder Experience and the hosted tastings at the Spire Collection are by reservation only. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Mt. Brave?
$175 per person for the Mt. Veeder Experience, or $125 for Membership by Spire and Mountain Wine Club members, as of September 2026.
Who makes Mt. Brave?
Chris Carpenter, for Jackson Family Wines, entirely from grapes farmed organically on the Mount Veeder estate.
Where is the Mt. Brave vineyard?
On the northern tip of the Mount Veeder AVA, at 1,400 to 1,800 feet, on the site once called the Chateau Potelle Vineyard. The tasting walk starts at about 2,000 feet.
Can I taste Mt. Brave without going up the mountain?
Yes. Mt. Brave is poured by appointment at the Spire Collection estate in Calistoga, and virtual tastings can be booked by email.
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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