Pritchard Hill · Napa Valley
Visit Realm with a Private Chauffeur
Members-only tastings with sweeping valley views at Realm's Houyi Estate on Pritchard Hill, plus seasonal estate visits on Wappo Hill in the Stags Leap District, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Juan Mercado and Wendell Laidley started Realm in 2002 as a label with no vineyards, buying fruit from growers such as Andy Beckstoffer. Scott Becker, an Air Force veteran who had worked for Bill Harlan, acquired the business in 2012 and rebuilt it with Bordeaux-born winemaker Benoit Touquette, who had worked alongside Andy Erickson at Dalla Valle, Ovid and Screaming Eagle.
At the end of 2015 Realm bought the Hartwell estate on Wappo Hill in the Stags Leap District, now Moonracer Estate, and in 2020 added the hilltop planted in 1986 with the Grace Family Bosche clone, bottled as Hartwell XX. In 2022 it bought Houyi Vineyard, 22 acres at nearly 1,300 feet on Pritchard Hill, in the Napa Valley AVA, and it also farms Farella in Coombsville. Realm makes twelve wines, from The Bard to Beckstoffer To Kalon.
Tastings are for members of Realm's list and their guests. At Houyi Estate, Wednesday to Sunday, you share a flight of current releases at a communal table, with sweeping views across Napa Valley, in about an hour. Members can also book the seasonal Estate Visit at Moonracer, a 90-minute walk through the vineyard on Wappo Hill with a 2016 wine poured beside current releases. Not on the list yet? Join first, and we handle the rest.
Tasting Fees
$125 per additional guest for a Tasting at Houyi Estate, about 60 minutes (members of two years or more and Ambassador members taste free). $250 per additional guest for the Moonracer Estate Visit, about 90 minutes (members of five years or more attend free with up to five guests).
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
200 Long Ranch Road, St. Helena
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
Members of Realm's list and their guests only, by advance reservation. Tastings at Houyi Estate (200 Long Ranch Road, St. Helena) run Wednesday to Sunday through March 2027. The Moonracer Estate Visit (5795 Silverado Trail, Napa) runs Wednesday to Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Known For
The Bard, Moonracer, Houyi and Beckstoffer single-vineyard Cabernets, from estates in the Stags Leap District, Coombsville and Pritchard Hill
Founded
2002 (first estate, Moonracer, bought in 2015)
Good to Know
Guests must be 21 or older; no outside food and no pets other than service animals. Groups of up to six; larger groups email the team. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead or the full fee is charged, parties more than 30 minutes late may not be seated, and fees are not waived with purchases.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:50 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Auberge du Soleil or Rancho Caymus Inn.
9:50 · Pickup at Auberge du Soleil or Rancho Caymus Inn
Houyi Estate is up Long Ranch Road on Pritchard Hill, about 20 to 25 minutes from Auberge du Soleil on Rutherford Hill and from Rancho Caymus Inn at the Rutherford crossroads, so we pick up at 9:50. The day below runs about six hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Realm Cellars
A Tasting at Houyi Estate, about 60 minutes: a flight of current releases at a communal table with views across the valley ($125 per additional guest). Realm confirms the time when it accepts the member's reservation.
11:35 · Quintessa
About 20 minutes away. A 280-acre Biodynamic estate of rolling hills, oaks and a lake on the east side of Rutherford; the Communal Estate Experience pairs a vineyard walk with a seated tasting ($125, about 90 minutes). By appointment, Thursday to Monday, with visits until 3:30 p.m.; 21 and over.
1:20 · Lunch at Brix
About 15 minutes away. Lunch at Brix on Highway 29 between Yountville and Oakville, a sit-down restaurant beside its own gardens, serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day but Tuesday. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:40 · HALL Rutherford
About 15 minutes away. The Halls' hillside estate above Rutherford, with a brick-lined wine cave and the Chandelier Room at its heart. The private Valley View Tasting in the upstairs salon, with cheese and charcuterie, is $125 for 60 to 75 minutes. Open daily by reservation; 21 and over.
3:55 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:05 p.m., about six hours after pickup.
About $375 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery (less where Realm's member benefits apply).
Realm hosts at Houyi Wednesday to Sunday and Quintessa Thursday to Monday, so plan this day for Thursday through Sunday.
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 Realm?
Yes. Realm tastings are by advance reservation and only for members of its list and their guests, so join the list first. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Realm?
$125 per additional guest for a Tasting at Houyi Estate and $250 per additional guest for the Moonracer Estate Visit; long-standing members attend free, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste Realm wines?
At Houyi Estate, 200 Long Ranch Road on Pritchard Hill, Wednesday to Sunday, or on the seasonal Estate Visit at Moonracer Estate, 5795 Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District.
Who owns Realm Cellars?
Scott Becker acquired Realm in 2012 and rebuilt it with winemaker Benoit Touquette.
Can children visit Realm?
No. Because of permit requirements, Realm cannot host guests under 21.
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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