Spring Mountain District · Napa Valley
Visit Paloma with a Private Chauffeur
A small family Merlot estate at the top of Spring Mountain, where tastings are hosted in the winemaker's living room, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Jim and Barbara Richards bought 17 acres at the top of Spring Mountain between 1983 and 1986. They cleared and terraced the slopes and planted 12.5 acres of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. For several years they sold their grapes to other Napa wineries. Their first wine, a 1994 Merlot of 575 cases, was released in 1996.
Paloma is best known for Merlot, blended with a little Cabernet Sauvignon. Its 2001 Merlot was named Wine of the Year in Wine Spectator's 2003 Top 100. The vineyard sits in the Spring Mountain District, and the winery says it runs about 10 degrees cooler than the valley floor. The estate survived the 2020 Glass Fire, though that vintage was lost to smoke.
Jim and Barbara's son, Sheldon Richards, now owns the estate and makes the wine, and his son Caston joined full time in 2021. The standard tasting is hosted in Sheldon's own living room, one group at a time. There is also a barrel tour of older vintages, a vineyard walk on Friday mornings in season, and a grape stomp at harvest.
Tasting Fees
$60 for Home Sweet Home, a hosted tasting in the winemaker's living room, about an hour. $75 for the Vineyard Walking Tour and Tasting (Friday mornings, May to October) and $90 for the Barrel Tour Wine Aging Experience, each about 90 minutes. $100 for the Harvest Grape Stomp, about 2 hours, on set dates in fall. Fees are waived with a set bottle purchase 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
4013 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena
AVA
Spring Mountain District
Visiting
Open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tastings are by appointment only, with a refundable deposit at booking.
Known For
Mountain-grown Merlot, plus Cabernet Sauvignon and the Ode to Barbara blend
Founded
1983 (first vintage 1994)
Good to Know
Up to 8 guests book online; groups of 9 to 16 arrange by email. For same-day visits within 6 hours, call the winery. Dogs are welcome. The vineyard walk requires closed-toe shoes with good traction.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley. Paloma sits at the top of Spring Mountain, about 20 to 25 minutes up a winding road from St. Helena, so we leave a little early to start the tasting at 10:15.
9:45 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley
Harvest Inn, a vineyard-side resort at the south end of St. Helena, and Alila Napa Valley in downtown St. Helena are each about 20 to 25 minutes from Paloma, most of it a scenic drive up Spring Mountain Road. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Paloma Vineyard
Home Sweet Home, about an hour in Sheldon Richards' living room ($60). The Barrel Tour ($90) runs about 90 minutes and moves the rest of the day back 30 minutes.
11:30 · Spring Mountain Vineyard
About 10 minutes away. A large hillside estate whose 1973 Chardonnay placed fourth at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. The Vista tasting, with a walk past olive groves and gardens, and the Judgment of Paris tasting are each $95 and about 90 minutes. Reservations required, up to 7 guests.
1:15 · Lunch at Brasswood Bar + Kitchen
About 10 minutes away. Down 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.
2:35 · Failla Wines
About 10 minutes away. Winemaker Ehren Jordan's Napa home on the Silverado Trail, where the Tasting Lodge is a seated tasting in a 1930s farmhouse. $30 for about an hour, with one fee waived per two bottles purchased. By appointment only; no picnics.
3:35 · Back to your hotel
Back by 3:45 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Alpha Omega
Adds about an hour and a half. A Rutherford winery where guests choose their flight on arrival. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, from $75 for about 90 minutes; open daily until 6 p.m., last seating at 4:30 p.m.
About $185 to $215 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Paloma is open Monday to Saturday, so plan this day for any day but Sunday.
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 Paloma?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment only, with a deposit that is refunded when you arrive. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Paloma?
$60 per person for the Home Sweet Home tasting, $75 for the Vineyard Walking Tour and $90 for the Barrel Tour, as of September 2026.
What is Paloma known for?
Mountain-grown Merlot. Its 2001 Merlot was named Wine of the Year in Wine Spectator's 2003 Top 100.
Who owns Paloma Vineyard?
Sheldon Richards, son of founders Jim and Barbara Richards, owns the estate and makes the wine. His son Caston joined the business full time in 2021.
Can I bring my dog to Paloma?
Yes. Paloma describes itself as a dog-friendly winery.
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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