Soda Canyon · Napa Valley
Visit Relic with a Private Chauffeur
A two-person family winery up Soda Canyon, with a hillside cave and views to San Pablo Bay, hosting only a few one-on-one tastings a day, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Mike Hirby and Schatzi Throckmorton started Relic in 2001 with a couple of barrels. Both came up through Behrens & Hitchcock on Spring Mountain, where Schatzi ran the business side, and Mike later helped launch Realm Cellars before turning to Relic full time. Today it is still the two of them, with Mike as winemaker and Schatzi as general manager.
Relic makes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rhône varieties and Bordeaux varieties from more than a dozen partner vineyards in Napa Valley and on the Sonoma Coast, among them Hyde, Stagecoach and Kenefick Ranch. Their stated aim is wine with complexity, aromatics and personality. Production is small, about 150 barrels, and most of it goes straight to the people on their list.
The winery sits off Soda Canyon Road, about 15 minutes from downtown Napa, with a cave dug into the hillside and views down the canyon to San Pablo Bay. Relic calls it off the beaten path and offers only a few intimate, one-on-one tastings each day, by appointment. Guests often meet Mike or Schatzi themselves, which is rare at this level.
Tasting Fees
Relic does not publish its tasting fee. 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
2400 Soda Canyon Road, Napa
AVA
Napa Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, with only a few one-on-one tastings each day. Book through the winery's website, by email (mikeandschatzi@relicwinecellars.com) or by phone (707-967-9380).
Known For
Small-lot Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet from Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards
Founded
2001 (at the Soda Canyon winery since 2015)
Good to Know
Appointments are limited, so book early; for larger groups or dates not shown online, the winery asks you to contact it directly. The winery is on a rural canyon road. Age and pet rules are not published; we confirm them when we book.
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
Silverado Resort, at the foot of Atlas Peak, and Milliken Creek Inn, on the river off the Silverado Trail, are each about 15 minutes from Relic. The day below runs about six and three-quarter hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Relic Wine Cellars
A one-on-one tasting at the winery and cave. Relic does not publish a length; we allow about 90 minutes so nobody has to rush.
12:05 · Chimney Rock Winery
About 18 minutes away. A Stags Leap District estate on the Silverado Trail, owned by the Terlato family and known for Cabernet Sauvignon. Taste of Terroir is $75, about 90 minutes, daily by reservation (open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
1:50 · Lunch at Mustards Grill
About 12 minutes away. Lunch at Mustards Grill on Highway 29 just north of Yountville, a Napa Valley favorite for more than 40 years, 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.
3:00 · Stags' Leap Winery
About 9 minutes away. A historic estate founded by Horace and Minnie Mizner Chase, whose Victorian-era Manor House once hosted the King and Queen of Portugal; the Estate Tour & Tasting explores the grounds and ends with a seated tasting in the Manor House. $65, about 90 minutes. Daily by appointment at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
4:30 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:45 p.m., about six and three-quarter hours after pickup.
About $140 per person in published tasting fees for Chimney Rock and Stags' Leap Winery, plus Relic's fee, which is confirmed when the appointment is booked; paid directly to each winery.
Relic offers only a few tastings a day, so we confirm its time first and build the rest of the day around it. Stags' Leap Winery's last tour starts at 3 p.m., which sets the end of the day.
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 Relic?
Yes. Relic is by appointment only and offers just a few one-on-one tastings each day. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Relic?
Relic does not publish a tasting fee. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Who owns Relic Wine Cellars?
Founders Mike Hirby, the winemaker, and Schatzi Throckmorton, the general manager, who started the winery in 2001.
Where is Relic Wine Cellars?
At 2400 Soda Canyon Road, about 15 minutes east of downtown Napa, with views down the canyon to San Pablo Bay.
What wines does Relic make?
Small lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Rhône varieties such as Syrah and Grenache, and Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
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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