Oakville · Napa Valley
Visit PATEL with a Private Chauffeur
Raj Patel's small Cabernet house, whose first vintage scored 95 points from Robert Parker, with limited tastings by appointment, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Raj Patel was born in Gujarat, India, came to Northern California in 1972 and studied at UC Davis, where an internship at Robert Mondavi Winery first drew him to wine. He founded PATEL in 2007. Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate scored that first Cabernet Sauvignon 95 points, and the winery says later vintages have scored 94 or above.
Winemaker Julien Fayard trained at Château Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux. PATEL makes about 1,000 cases a year, often a few dozen to a few hundred cases of each wine, from small family vineyards: Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the Bennett Vineyard hillside, a Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc from McGah Family Vineyard and an Atlas Peak Malbec.
There is no tasting bar to walk into. Tastings are limited and by appointment only: guests send an inquiry and the team follows up to plan the visit, and the place is confirmed then. For groups, private events can be hosted by Raj Patel himself from January through October, with a minimum wine purchase. We send the request and build the day around the time they offer.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
Oakville
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
Limited tastings by appointment only, requested through the winery's inquiry form; the team follows up to plan the visit and confirm the location. We arrange it on your behalf.
Known For
Napa Valley and Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon
Founded
2007
Good to Know
The tasting location, days and group size are confirmed when the appointment is set. Private events run January through October by request, hosted by Raj Patel or his team, with a minimum purchase.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Rancho Caymus Inn or Bardessono.
10:00 · Pickup at Rancho Caymus Inn or Bardessono
PATEL shares the tasting location when the appointment is set, so we time the pickup and the first drive around it. Rancho Caymus Inn in Rutherford and Bardessono in Yountville are both central to Oakville. The day below fits about six hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · PATEL Winery
A limited, by-appointment tasting set up with the PATEL team; the start time and fee are confirmed when they reply. We allow about an hour.
11:40 · Oakville Ranch Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. A 370-acre mountain ranch 1,000 feet above Oakville, where the visit is an ATV ride through the vineyards to a valley overlook and an alfresco tasting of current releases by the pool. $100, about 1.5 hours; wear closed shoes. By prior appointment, Monday to Friday.
1:25 · Lunch at Rutherford Grill
About 15 minutes away. Lunch at Rutherford Grill, at Highway 29 and Rutherford Road, 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.
2:45 · J Gregory Cellars
About 20 minutes away. Napa native Mark Jessup, who worked on the early Opus One wines at Robert Mondavi, pours his small-lot Cabernet in a private, sit-down tasting in a small wine lounge in the Oak Knoll District. $75; we allow about an hour. By appointment, daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back in Yountville by about 4:00 p.m. (about 4:15 p.m. to Rancho Caymus Inn).
About $175 per person in tasting fees for Oakville Ranch and J Gregory, plus PATEL's fee, which is confirmed when the appointment is set; each paid directly to the winery.
Oakville Ranch hosts Monday to Friday only, so this is a weekday plan. PATEL's tastings are limited and the time is set by the winery, so the order of the day may shift.
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 PATEL?
Yes. Tastings are limited and by appointment only, requested through the winery's inquiry form. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at PATEL?
PATEL does not publish its tasting fees, so they are to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Who owns PATEL?
Founder Raj Patel, who started the winery in 2007 after an internship at Robert Mondavi Winery while at UC Davis.
Who makes the PATEL wines?
Winemaker Julien Fayard, who trained at Château Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux.
What is PATEL known for?
Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley and Coombsville. The first vintage, 2007, scored 95 points from Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate.
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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