St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Paula Kornell with a Private Chauffeur
Méthode champenoise sparkling wine from the daughter of Napa sparkling pioneer Hanns Kornell, tasted by private request, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Paula Kornell's father, Hanns Kornell, came from a German winemaking family, survived eight months in Dachau and left Germany in 1938, arriving in New York with $2. He worked his way west, and he and his wife, Marilouise, later bought the Larkmead estate near Calistoga and founded Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars, helping bring the méthode champenoise to Napa Valley.
Paula grew up in that cellar and spent more than 30 years in Napa wine marketing and sales, at Joseph Phelps and the Robert Mondavi family of wineries among others. She chaired the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 1992, the first to raise over $1 million, and in 2009 became president of the Napa Valley Vintners board, a post her father held 45 years earlier. Mike and Jenny Farmer, her first visitors, are now her partners.
The first wine was the 2017 Napa Valley Blanc de Noirs, from Mitsuko's Vineyard in Carneros, followed by a California Brut and a Brut Rosé, all made by Robin Akhurst. Every label carries Hanns Kornell's old symbol of two men carrying a giant grape cluster. There is no tasting room; tastings are by private request, so we write to the winery and set it up for you.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation. Paula Kornell does not publish a tasting fee.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
St. Helena
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
No tasting room and no public hours. Tastings are by private request through the winery's contact page, which lists an address for tasting inquiries; we arrange it on your behalf. Where the tasting takes place, the time and any fee are confirmed then.
Known For
Méthode champenoise Napa Valley Blanc de Noirs, California Brut and Brut Rosé
Founded
2017 (first vintage)
Good to Know
Ages, group size and pet rules are not published; we confirm them with the winery. The wine club ships 6 or 12 bottles, with 10% or 20% off wines.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Wydown Hotel. The tasting time is set by request, so the start may move.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Wydown Hotel
Both hotels are in St. Helena, where the winery is based. Once a tasting time and place are confirmed, we build the day around them. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine
A private tasting of the sparkling wines, by request. The place and length are confirmed when the visit is arranged; we allow about an hour.
11:35 · Crocker & Starr
About 15 minutes away. A small St. Helena estate where the visit starts with a glass of sparkling wine and a walk into the vineyard, then a seated tasting under the Garden Arbor. The Estate Vineyard Experience is $95, about 75 minutes, for groups of up to 6. By reservation.
1:05 · Lunch at Brasswood Bar + Kitchen
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Brasswood Bar + Kitchen on Highway 29 north of St. Helena, with a patio and seasonal menus, 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.
2:20 · Chateau Boswell Winery
About 10 minutes away. A family winery founded in 1979 on the Silverado Trail north of St. Helena, with a hand-hewn stone winery; during your appointment your group is the only one on the property. Chateau Boswell does not publish a tasting fee; we confirm it when we book and allow about an hour. By appointment only.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back at your hotel by about 3:40 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $95 per person in tasting fees for Crocker & Starr, plus the Paula Kornell and Chateau Boswell fees, which are confirmed when we book; each paid directly to the winery.
Paula Kornell tastings are by private request, so the day is set once the winery confirms a time and place.
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 Paula Kornell?
Yes. There is no tasting room, and tastings are by private request through the winery's contact page. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Paula Kornell?
Paula Kornell does not publish a tasting fee; it is to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Who was Hanns Kornell?
Paula's father, who founded Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars on the Larkmead estate and helped bring the méthode champenoise to Napa Valley.
Where do the grapes come from?
The Napa Valley Blanc de Noirs comes from Mitsuko's Vineyard in Carneros; the California Brut comes from growers in the River Junction area.
Who owns Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine?
Paula Kornell, with partners Mike and Jenny Farmer. Robin Akhurst has made the wines since the first vintage.
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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