St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit Shibumi Knoll with a Private Chauffeur
A two-acre knoll north of St. Helena with Cabernet, a stone cottage and Chardonnay made by Thomas Rivers Brown. Shibumi Knoll does not receive visitors; here is what to know, and a day at sought-after estates nearby that do host.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Don Ross, a former Apollo program engineer who later built a business that became the country's largest maker of shower enclosures, and Joann Ross Serafini bought a small knoll 3.5 miles north of St. Helena in January 2003. It came with a rocky three-quarter-acre Cabernet vineyard planted in 1996 and a cottage that began as a stone barn in 1921. They named the label after the novel Shibumi, a Japanese word for effortless perfection. Joann runs it today.
Thomas Rivers Brown has made the wines since the first vintage, the 2003 Cabernet, from vines on the rocky alluvial fan of Mill Creek in the St. Helena AVA. The best known wine is the Chardonnay from the old Buena Tierra vineyard on the Russian River in Sonoma County: Wine Spectator gave the 2005 97 points, and Jeb Dunnuck gave the 2023 97. A Swan clone Pinot Noir from the same vineyard followed in 2012.
The knoll is the family's home, and there is no tasting room or published visit. The wines are sold online and through the mailing list, and in restaurants and shops through a national distributor. The day below visits three estates nearby that do host, two of them with wines by Thomas Rivers Brown.
Tasting Fees
Shibumi Knoll does not offer tastings.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3480 St. Helena Highway North, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Shibumi Knoll has no tasting room and does not offer visits; the knoll is the owner's home. The wines are sold online and through the mailing list.
Known For
Buena Tierra Chardonnay and estate Cabernet Sauvignon by Thomas Rivers Brown
Founded
2003
Good to Know
Sign up for the mailing list or order online at shibumiknoll.com; buyers must be 21 or older.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:40 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Four Seasons Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
9:40 · Pickup at Four Seasons Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Since Shibumi Knoll does not host visitors, this day takes you to three sought-after estates nearby that do, two of them with wines by Shibumi's winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown. Four Seasons Napa Valley is about 10 minutes from the first stop in Calistoga and Harvest Inn about 15, so we leave at 9:40 for the 10 a.m. tasting. The day runs about six and a half hours, and extra time is added by the hour.
10:00 · Rivers-Marie
About 15 minutes away. Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh's own winery on Foothill Boulevard in Calistoga, opened in 2020, pouring small-lot single-vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet. A seated tasting of current wines takes about 60 to 90 minutes; the fee is confirmed when the winery accepts the reservation. By advance reservation, with tastings at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.
11:40 · Lunch at Sam's Social Club
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Sam's Social Club at Indian Springs in Calistoga, a sit-down restaurant named for town founder Samuel Brannan, serving lunch Monday through Friday and brunch on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:00 · Outpost Wines
About 25 minutes away. A Howell Mountain estate above the fog, on a vineyard first planted in the 1860s, where Thomas Rivers Brown also makes the wine. The estate tasting is $75; we plan about an hour and a quarter. By appointment, typically Tuesday to Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
2:25 · Red Thread Wines
About 10 minutes away. A small family winery near the top of Howell Mountain, where the tasting is poured in the vineyard under an old black walnut tree. The Private Wine Tasting with a vineyard and winery walk is $65, about 75 minutes (waived with a $150 purchase). By appointment only; closed Sundays.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back at your hotel by about 4:05 p.m.
About $140 per person in tasting fees for Outpost and Red Thread, plus Rivers-Marie's fee, which is confirmed with the reservation; each paid directly to the winery.
We leave at 9:40 for Rivers-Marie's 10 a.m. tasting, so the day runs about six and a half hours with an early lunch. Outpost typically hosts Tuesday to Saturday and Red Thread is closed Sunday, so this day suits Tuesday to Saturday. Rivers-Marie confirms requests within a day or two, so book ahead.
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
Can you visit Shibumi Knoll?
No. Shibumi Knoll has no tasting room and does not offer visits, as of September 2026. We can plan a day at nearby estates that do host, including two with wines by its winemaker.
How can I buy Shibumi Knoll wine?
Online at shibumiknoll.com or through the mailing list. The wines are also sold in restaurants and shops through Scale Wine Group.
Who owns Shibumi Knoll?
Joann Ross Serafini, who bought the knoll with her late husband, Don Ross, in 2003.
Who makes Shibumi Knoll wine?
Thomas Rivers Brown, who has made every vintage since the first in 2003.
What is Shibumi Knoll known for?
Its Buena Tierra Chardonnay from the Russian River; Wine Spectator gave the 2005 97 points, and Jeb Dunnuck gave the 2023 97.
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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