Napa · Napa Valley
Visit Purlieu with a Private Chauffeur
Julien Fayard's single-vineyard Napa Cabernets, poured in a private loft at his Maison Fayard salon in downtown Napa with cheese and charcuterie, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Purlieu means "the edge of the forest," and the winery uses the word for its approach: exploring the edges of what a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon can be while keeping a balance between power and freshness. The winemaker is French-born Julien Fayard, who made rosé at his family's winery in Provence, worked at Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte, and was Philippe Melka's director of winemaking before launching his own projects.
The fruit comes from top sites across the valley. Teucer, a small vineyard in Coombsville, supplies Purlieu and its sister label Le Pich, alongside other Coombsville blocks such as Caldwell and Meteor. Single-vineyard Cabernets also come from Beckstoffer To Kalon in Oakville, Georges III, Missouri Hopper, Sugarloaf and Martinez, and there is a Platt Vineyard Chardonnay. Current releases reach the 2023 vintage.
There is no estate to visit. Purlieu is poured at Maison Fayard, Julien's tasting salon at 1408 Second Street in downtown Napa's SOFI district. The Purlieu Tasting Experience takes place in the salon's private loft with a dedicated wine professional: five wines, from flagship bottlings to rarer selections, with cheese and charcuterie. It is a quiet room in the middle of town and an easy first stop of the morning.
Tasting Fees
$95 for the Purlieu Tasting Experience, five wines with cheese and charcuterie in the private loft. The length is not published; we allow about 75 minutes.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1408 Second Street, Napa
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
Tastings at Maison Fayard, 1408 Second Street, downtown Napa: Monday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Purlieu Tasting Experience requires a reservation.
Known For
Single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by Julien Fayard, from Coombsville to To Kalon
Founded
Founding year not published; current releases from the 2023 vintage
Good to Know
The private tasting is hosted in Maison Fayard's loft with a dedicated wine professional. Ages, pet rules and group limits are not published; we confirm them when we book. Purlieu club members receive a complimentary tasting for up to six guests once or twice a year, depending on the tier.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Archer Hotel Napa or Andaz Napa.
10:00 · Pickup at Archer Hotel Napa or Andaz Napa
Archer Hotel Napa, a downtown hotel with a rooftop bar, and Andaz Napa, a boutique Hyatt hotel, are each a few minutes from Maison Fayard, so the tasting starts right away. The day fits in about six hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Purlieu Wines
The Purlieu Tasting Experience in the private loft at Maison Fayard, five wines with cheese and charcuterie ($95). We allow about 75 minutes.
11:45 · DUHIG Wine
About 12 minutes away. A 13-acre home ranch in the heart of Coombsville, with slopes up to 22 percent and diatomaceous soils from the ancient caldera, where the family makes tiny lots of Cabernet. By appointment; days are not published and the fee is confirmed when we book. We allow about an hour.
1:05 · Lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni
About 18 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.
2:25 · Kasten Family Wines
About 8 minutes away. A two-acre Oak Knoll Cabernet vineyard planted in 2003, where the Kasten family hosts tastings at the estate and makes no more than 500 cases a year. By appointment only; the fee is confirmed when we book. We allow about an hour.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:50 p.m., under six hours after pickup.
About $95 per person for the Purlieu tasting, plus the DUHIG and Kasten fees, which are confirmed when we book; paid directly to each winery.
DUHIG and Kasten host by appointment and do not publish their days, so we confirm the order when we book. Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting.
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 Purlieu?
Yes. The Purlieu Tasting Experience at Maison Fayard requires a reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Purlieu?
$95 per person for the Purlieu Tasting Experience, five wines with cheese and charcuterie in a private room, as of September 2026.
Where can I taste Purlieu wines?
At Maison Fayard, Julien Fayard's tasting salon at 1408 Second Street in downtown Napa, open daily from 10 a.m.
Who makes Purlieu?
Winemaker Julien Fayard, who trained in Provence and Bordeaux and was Philippe Melka's director of winemaking before launching his own projects.
What does Purlieu mean?
It means "the edge of the forest" or "an outlying area." The winery uses it for its approach of exploring the edges of what Napa Cabernet can be.
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.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"Purlieu Wines","url":"https://www.purlieuwines.com","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1408 Second Street","addressLocality":"Napa","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"94559","addressCountry":"US"},"containedInPlace":{"@type":"Place","name":"Napa Valley AVA"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Purlieu?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. The Purlieu Tasting Experience at Maison Fayard requires a reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Purlieu?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"$95 per person for the Purlieu Tasting Experience, five wines with cheese and charcuterie in a private room, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where can I taste Purlieu wines?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"At Maison Fayard, Julien Fayard's tasting salon at 1408 Second Street in downtown Napa, open daily from 10 a.m."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who makes Purlieu?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Winemaker Julien Fayard, who trained in Provence and Bordeaux and was Philippe Melka's director of winemaking before launching his own projects."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What does Purlieu mean?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It means \"the edge of the forest\" or \"an outlying area.\" The winery uses it for its approach of exploring the edges of what Napa Cabernet can be."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"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."}}]}]}