Diamond Mountain District · Napa Valley
Visit Schramsberg Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
America's sparkling wine pioneer, with hillside caves dug in the 1870s, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Schramsberg sits on the forested slopes of Diamond Mountain, just south of Calistoga. Jacob Schram, a German immigrant, founded the winery in 1862, and in the 1870s Chinese laborers dug its hillside caves, the first in Napa Valley dug for aging wine. Robert Louis Stevenson visited in 1880 and wrote about it in The Silverado Squatters.
Jack and Jamie Davies bought the neglected estate in 1965 and set out to make American sparkling wine in the traditional method, fermented in the bottle. In 1972 their 1969 Blanc de Blancs was poured at President Nixon's Toast to Peace dinner in Beijing, and Schramsberg has been served at official state functions by every presidential administration since. Their son Hugh Davies leads the winery today.
The visit is the draw. A guided walk through the caves, stacked with bottles aging on their sides, ends with a seated tasting of the sparkling wines. It is a very different morning from a Cabernet tasting, and a lively way to start the day.
Tasting Fees
$100 for the cave tour with the classic tasting, about an hour. $150 for the tour with reserve wines and cheese. Tasting-only visits without the tour are $70 to $80.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga
AVA
Diamond Mountain District
Visiting
By appointment only. Cave tours with a tasting run about an hour; tasting-only visits are also available. Arrive within 10 minutes of your booked time.
Known For
Traditional-method sparkling wine and historic hillside caves
Founded
1862
Good to Know
Cave tours are shared with other guests; private tours for groups of 7 or more are offered Sunday to Thursday mornings. Ages 21 and over, no pets, and guests are asked not to wear fragrance.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Calistoga hotel such as the Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley or Indian Springs.
10:00 · Pickup at the Four Seasons or Indian Springs
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. The Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley and Indian Springs, Calistoga's historic hot springs resort, are both about 10 minutes from Schramsberg. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Schramsberg Vineyards
The cave tour and sparkling wine tasting, about an hour ($100). Cave tours start at 9:30 a.m., which makes Schramsberg a natural first stop.
12:00 · Davis Estates
About 10 minutes away. A modern estate on the Silverado Trail with sweeping views of the northern valley, a 50-foot windmill and 11,000 square feet of caves. The estate wine and food pairing runs about an hour ($100); a cave tour with tasting is about 90 minutes ($125). By appointment, up to 6 guests per booking.
1:15 · Lunch at Sam's Social Club
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Sam's Social Club at Indian Springs in downtown Calistoga, served weekdays, with brunch until 2:30 p.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Frank Family Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A relaxed estate on Larkmead Lane, set in the historic stone Larkmead winery, pouring its wines from sparkling to Cabernet. The estate tasting is about $60; pairings with cheese and charcuterie are about $100. By reservation.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: Sterling Vineyards
Adds about an hour. Ride the aerial gondola to Sterling's hilltop tasting room. Walk-ins are welcome until the last tasting at 4:30 p.m.; tastings from about $55.
About $260 to $375 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
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 Schramsberg?
Yes. Schramsberg is open by appointment only. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the appointment for you.
How much is the Schramsberg cave tour?
$100 per person for the cave tour with the classic tasting and $150 with reserve wines and cheese, as of September 2026. Tasting-only visits are $70 to $80. Fees are paid directly to the winery.
How long is the Schramsberg tour?
About an hour, including the walk through the caves and the seated tasting.
Can children visit Schramsberg?
No. Schramsberg does not admit children or pets, and all guests must be 21 or older.
Why is Schramsberg famous?
It revived American traditional-method sparkling wine in 1965, and its 1969 Blanc de Blancs was served at President Nixon's 1972 Toast to Peace in Beijing. Its caves, dug in the 1870s, were the first in Napa Valley dug for aging wine.
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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