Los Carneros · Napa Valley
Visit Sleeping Giant with a Private Chauffeur
Winemaker Chris Dearden's Carneros estate, with a tour of the grounds glass in hand, a restored historic water tower and a tasting room built for vineyard views, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Chris Dearden grew up in an agricultural town in the Central Valley, wrote his own major in viticulture, enology and winery operations at UC Davis and earned an MBA at Berkeley's Haas School. Over a 40-year career he has been winemaker, general manager and consulting winemaker, and he credits his years with the cooperage Seguin Moreau, working alongside first growths and grand crus, as the biggest influence on his style.
Chris bought this 12-acre Carneros estate in 2006 and founded the Dearden Wines portfolio in 2010: Sleeping Giant Cabernet, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Little Giant, Argus Pinot Noir and the Iron Series. The estate vineyard is planted to five clones of Pinot Noir. The family restored the residence and a historic water tower, and the boutique winery begun in late 2020 runs on solar power and recycles its water through a worm digester.
Visits are by appointment. The Single AVA Tour & Tasting starts with a walk around the estate, glass in hand, then settles into a tasting room with views of the Carneros hills from almost every angle. The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sensory Experience pours bottles from heralded Napa vineyards and vintages, plus a taste from a barrel that has not been released.
Tasting Fees
$75 for the Sleeping Giant Single AVA Tour & Tasting and $150 for the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sensory Experience, which includes an unreleased barrel sample. Durations are 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
2258 Las Amigas Road, Napa
AVA
Los Carneros
Visiting
Tastings by appointment, booked by phone (707-944-2054) or email (info@deardenwines.com). Days and hours are not published; we confirm the time when we book.
Known For
Sleeping Giant Cabernet Sauvignon and Carneros estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, made by Chris Dearden
Founded
2010 (Dearden Wines portfolio; estate bought in 2006)
Good to Know
Corporate events and large groups book directly with the winery. Club members have pick-up parties and member events; some events, such as the October harvest party, are open to the public. Ages are not published; we confirm them when booking.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Carneros Resort and Spa or The Meritage Resort.
10:00 · Pickup at Carneros Resort and Spa or The Meritage Resort
Carneros Resort and Spa is about 5 minutes from Sleeping Giant, and The Meritage Resort, at the south end of Napa, about 12. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Sleeping Giant Winery
The Single AVA Tour & Tasting ($75); we allow about 75 minutes. The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sensory Experience ($150) is the deeper option.
11:45 · Kubani Wines
About 15 minutes away. A young family winery in Napa's Crusher District, where each party gets its own private tasting area. The Private Tasting is $65, waived with a purchase of three bottles; we plan about an hour. By reservation request, seven days a week.
1:00 · Lunch at Angèle
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Angèle, a French brasserie on the Napa River in downtown Napa, serving lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:20 · Hyde Vineyards Estate
About 15 minutes away. Larry Hyde's Carneros vineyard, planted in 1979 and long a source for other wineries, where you can taste on a small terrace looking over the vines. The estate tasting is $75 for about 75 minutes. By reservation; open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., up to six guests.
3:35 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $215 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Sleeping Giant and Kubani do not publish their hours, so we confirm both times before 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 Sleeping Giant?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment, booked by phone or email. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Sleeping Giant?
$75 per person for the Single AVA Tour & Tasting and $150 for the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sensory Experience, as of September 2026.
Who owns Sleeping Giant Winery?
Owner and winemaker Chris Dearden, who bought the Carneros estate in 2006.
Is Sleeping Giant the same as Dearden Wines?
Yes. Sleeping Giant Winery is home to the Dearden Wines portfolio, including Sleeping Giant, Little Giant, Argus and the Iron Series.
Is the winery sustainable?
The vineyard is Fish Friendly and Napa Green certified and irrigated with recycled water, and solar panels make the winery net zero in energy use.
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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