Howell Mountain · Napa Valley
Visit Outpost with a Private Chauffeur
A Howell Mountain estate above the fog, on a vineyard first planted in the 1860s, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
The vineyard now called Outpost was planted in the 1860s as the Ferazzi Ranch, with Zinfandel, Carignane and Petite Sirah. It fell apart during Prohibition, and Bob Lamborn replanted it to Zinfandel in the mid-1970s. Terry and Juli Pringle bought it in 1998. When Turley's Ehren Jordan agreed to buy most of their grapes and make a little wine for them, the Outpost label was born.
Thomas Rivers Brown helped make that first wine, and Outpost became his first consulting client. He is still the consultant winemaker. Frank Dotzler bought the estate in 2003, built the winery in 2005 and added Cabernet Sauvignon. AXA Millésimes, led by Christian Seely, acquired it in 2018. Today there are about 44 acres in the Howell Mountain AVA, from 1,800 to 2,200 feet, above the valley fog.
Visits are small and focused. Tastings run Tuesday through Saturday by appointment, at a remote, rustic estate on Howell Mountain, and the lineup leans on mountain Cabernet Sauvignon along with Zinfandel and Grenache. Grapes are picked by hand at dawn, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Plan ahead: the winery says it books up about four to six weeks out.
Tasting Fees
$75 per person for the estate tasting, by appointment. Groups of 7 or more, when accepted, are $225 per person.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
2075 Summit Lake Drive, Angwin
AVA
Howell Mountain
Visiting
Typically open Tuesday through Saturday by appointment only, with tastings at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visits are requested through the winery and confirmed after follow-up; book four to six weeks ahead.
Known For
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Grenache
Founded
1998, when the Pringles bought the vineyard (first planted in the 1860s)
Good to Know
Tastings are 21 and over, and pets are not allowed (there are winery dogs on the property). The maximum group size is 6; groups of 7 or more are considered at a higher rate. No outside food or picnics.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:55 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
9:55 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Outpost sits near the top of Howell Mountain, about 30 minutes from both hotels, so pickup moves to 9:55 a.m. to make the 10:30 a.m. tasting. Alila Napa Valley is a boutique hotel in downtown St. Helena, and Harvest Inn is a garden hotel at the south end of town. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:30 · Outpost Wines
The estate tasting ($75), a small seated visit at 2,200 feet. Only three tasting times are offered, so the morning seating anchors the day.
12:05 · CADE Estate Winery
About 12 minutes away. A Howell Mountain winery at 1,850 feet that calls itself the first LEED Gold certified estate in California. The Current Release Tasting is $100 and runs 60 minutes. Daily by appointment; 21 and over.
1:20 · Lunch at Brasswood Bar + Kitchen
About 18 minutes away. Down the mountain to Brasswood Bar + Kitchen on Highway 29 just north of St. Helena, open daily from 11:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Chase Cellars
About 12 minutes away. A small family winery on the historic Hayne Vineyard in St. Helena, which the family bought in 1872 and farmed for decades before making its first wine in 1998. A private tasting and tour of the vineyard is $45 and runs about 75 minutes, waived with each 3-bottle purchase per person. By appointment Tuesday to Saturday, last start at 3 p.m.; all guests must be 21 or older.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back by 3:55 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Merryvale Vineyards
Adds about an hour and a half. A winery on Main Street in downtown St. Helena, a few minutes from Chase Cellars. The Winery Exclusives Experience is $50 and about 90 minutes; reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are accepted as available. The tasting room is open until 5:30 p.m., so arrive by about 4 p.m.
About $220 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Outpost hosts tastings Tuesday through Saturday only, so plan this day for one of those days.
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 Outpost?
Yes. Visits are by appointment only, Tuesday through Saturday, and the winery confirms each request after following up. It usually books four to six weeks ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Outpost?
$75 per person, with a maximum group of 6. Groups of 7 or more, when accepted, are $225 per person, as of September 2026.
Can children or dogs visit Outpost?
No. Tastings are for guests 21 and over, and pets are not allowed because the estate has its own winery dogs.
Who owns Outpost?
AXA Millésimes, led by managing director Christian Seely, which acquired the estate in 2018.
Who makes the wine at Outpost?
Consultant winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, who helped make the first Outpost wine and has worked with the estate since, with winemaker Tommy Ufland.
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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