St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Parallel with a Private Chauffeur
A Napa Cabernet house started by ski friends from Park City and made by Philippe Melka, tasted with food at the Brasswood property north of St. Helena, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Parallel began in 1999 with four couples from Park City, Utah, friends for decades through skiing, real estate and a shared love of Napa Valley wine and food. The name comes from the parallel tracks skiers leave on the first runs of the morning, and the label sketches them. The first wine was released in 2005, and Adrienne Smith, who holds a culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America, is managing partner today.
Philippe Melka has been principal winemaker since the start, working with his Atelier Melka team on Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; the winery notes that Robert Parker once named him one of the top nine wine consultants in the world. Giving back is part of the plan: since that first release, Parallel has given nearly $1.7 million to 78 charities across the country.
There is no winery to tour. Instead Parallel pours at the Brasswood property on Highway 29 north of St. Helena, in the St. Helena AVA, with food at the center: the Après tasting pairs current releases with small bites and cheeses from the Brasswood Bakery, and the Lunch & Wine Tasting matches four wines with a multi-course seasonal menu. Groups are small, six at most, so it feels like a long lunch with friends.
Tasting Fees
$100 for the Après Wine Tasting, current releases with small bites and cheeses from the Brasswood Bakery, 90 minutes (10 a.m., noon or 2 p.m.). $175 for the Lunch & Wine Tasting, four current releases paired with a multi-course seasonal menu, up to 2 hours from 11:30 a.m. Both are waivable with purchase.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3125 St. Helena Highway North, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
By appointment only, Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Sunday). Tastings are held at the Brasswood property on Highway 29 north of St. Helena. Book about 14 days ahead, or 28 days or more during harvest.
Known For
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by Philippe Melka
Founded
1999 (first release 2005)
Good to Know
Up to 6 guests per tasting; groups of 7 or more book a private room at Brasswood. Cancel at least 3 days ahead to avoid being charged. Fees are waived with purchase and can be applied to wine within six months. Age rules are not published.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Hotel St. Helena, in time for the 10 a.m. tasting.
9:45 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Hotel St. Helena
Hotel St. Helena, on Main Street, is about 8 minutes from Brasswood, and Alila Napa Valley, south of town on Highway 29, about 12. We leave at 9:45 for the 10 a.m. Après tasting. The day runs about six and a half hours, and extra time is added by the hour.
10:00 · Parallel Napa Valley
The Après Wine Tasting at Brasswood, 90 minutes ($100). If you would rather make Parallel your lunch, the Lunch & Wine Tasting ($175) starts at 11:30 and runs up to two hours, and we reshape the rest of the day.
11:45 · Smith-Madrone Vineyards & Winery
About 20 minutes away. A mountaintop winery on Spring Mountain, where winemaker Charles Smith welcomes visitors and the Cook's Flat Reserve honors the 1884 land patent for the property. The Smith-Madrone Tasting is $65; allow about an hour. Prepaid reservation required, for 2 to 10 guests.
1:10 · Lunch at The Charter Oak
About 20 minutes away. Lunch at The Charter Oak at the south end of St. Helena, Christopher and Martina Kostow's family-style New American restaurant, 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.
2:30 · Varozza Vineyards
About 8 minutes away. A St. Helena family vineyard on Pratt Avenue, with a stone and wood winery building from 1885, where owners Jack and Dianna Varozza host every tasting themselves. The extended seven-wine tasting is $75 (five wines for $50), about 90 minutes. By appointment, Tuesday to Sunday.
4:00 · Back to your hotel
Back at your hotel by about 4:15 p.m.
About $240 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Parallel hosts Monday to Saturday and Varozza Tuesday to Sunday, so this day suits Tuesday to Saturday. We start at 9:45 for the 10 a.m. tasting, so the day runs about six and a half hours.
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 Parallel?
Yes. Parallel hosts by appointment only, and books about 14 days ahead (28 days or more during harvest). When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Parallel?
$100 per person for the 90-minute Après Wine Tasting and $175 for the Lunch & Wine Tasting, both waivable with purchase, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste Parallel wines?
At the Brasswood property, 3125 St. Helena Highway North, just north of St. Helena. Parallel has no winery of its own to visit.
Who makes Parallel wines?
Philippe Melka has been principal winemaker since the winery began in 1999, with his Atelier Melka team.
Where does the name Parallel come from?
From the parallel ski tracks left after the first runs of the day. The founders are friends from Park City, Utah.
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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