Yountville · Napa Valley
Visit Priest Ranch with a Private Chauffeur
A downtown Yountville tasting lounge for wines from a historic ranch in the eastern hills, with bacon and chocolate pairings, and a suggested day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Gold Rush prospector James Joshua Priest founded Priest Ranch in the eastern hills in 1869. In 2004 the ranch was joined with the neighboring Elder Valley land to form Somerston Estate, and the Priest Ranch wines followed in 2006. The estate covers 1,682 acres across three ridgelines and two valleys, with 224 acres of vines.
Craig Becker was the founding winemaker, and Cody Hurd is now director of winemaking. The lineup runs from Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache Blanc to Cabernet Sauvignon blocks and red blends with names like Snake Oil, Remedy and Peacemaker. Most of the wines are made in small quantities and sold only at the Yountville tasting room.
The tasting lounge sits in the heart of Yountville, and the pairings are the fun part. The Bacon and Wine Experience matches four cuts of pork belly with estate wines, and Taste the Terroir pairs bold reds with chocolate truffles inspired by the estate's soils. For more of the land, we can pair this day with a visit to Somerston Estate itself.
Tasting Fees
$50 for Taste the Estate (waived with three bottles). $65 for Taste the Terroir, bold reds with KZ Chocolates truffles. $85 for the Bacon and Wine Experience, four cuts of pork belly with estate wines. From $75 per guest for a private Estate Room tasting for 5 to 12. Durations are not published.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
6490 Washington Street, Yountville
AVA
Yountville
Visiting
Open daily; the Napa Valley Vintners listing gives hours as noon to 7 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Reservations are taken for parties of 1 to 5; groups of 6 or more contact the team.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends and whites from the Somerston ranch, sold mostly at the Yountville tasting room
Founded
2006 (ranch founded in 1869)
Good to Know
The Taste the Estate fee is waived with a three-bottle purchase, and part of the pairing fees goes toward three bottles of red. Private groups of 5 to 12 can book the Estate Room from $75 per guest. The listing describes the lounge as dog friendly; confirm when booking.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Silverado Resort or Milliken Creek Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Silverado Resort or Milliken Creek Inn
Both are on the Napa side of the valley, about 10 to 15 minutes from the first stop. Silverado Resort is a golf and spa resort at the foot of Atlas Peak, and Milliken Creek Inn is a small inn on the Napa River. Priest Ranch opens at noon most days, so it is the afternoon stop. The day runs about six and three-quarter hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Palmaz Vineyards
About 12 minutes away. A family estate east of Napa with an underground winery, and guests love the guided cave tour. The Private Tour and Portfolio Tasting is $150 per person for about two hours. By appointment only.
12:35 · Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni
About 15 minutes away. Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni, an Italian restaurant among the vineyards on Howard Lane, a valley favorite for more than 30 years, 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.
2:00 · Gargiulo Vineyards
About 12 minutes away. A family estate on the Oakville Crossroad with a guitar gallery, where each visit is a private, seated tasting of the estate Cabernets with a tour of the property, in the tasting room or on the terrace. The fee is confirmed when the appointment is made; we plan about 75 minutes. By appointment only.
3:25 · Priest Ranch
About 10 minutes away. The Bacon and Wine Experience ($85) or Taste the Terroir with chocolate truffles ($65); Taste the Estate is $50. We plan about an hour.
4:30 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:45 p.m., about six and three-quarter hours after pickup.
About $200 to $235 per person in published tasting fees for Palmaz and Priest Ranch, paid directly to each winery; Gargiulo confirms its fee when the appointment is made.
Priest Ranch opens at noon Sunday to Thursday (11 a.m. Friday and Saturday), so we visit it last. Back by about 4:45 p.m.
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 Priest Ranch?
Reservations are taken for parties of 1 to 5, and groups of 6 or more contact the team. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Priest Ranch?
$50 for Taste the Estate, $65 for Taste the Terroir and $85 for the Bacon and Wine Experience, as of September 2026.
Is Priest Ranch the same as Somerston?
They are sister labels from the same ranch. Priest Ranch pours in downtown Yountville; Somerston Estate hosts private visits out at the ranch in the eastern hills.
Where can I buy Priest Ranch wine?
Most Priest Ranch wines are made in limited quantities and sold only at the Yountville tasting room, plus online and through the club.
Who makes the Priest Ranch wines?
Cody Hurd is director of winemaking; Craig Becker was the founding winemaker.
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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