Spring Mountain District · Napa Valley
Visit Stony Hill with a Private Chauffeur
A Spring Mountain estate that made its name with Chardonnay in the 1950s, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Fred and Eleanor McCrea bought a 168-acre goat ranch on the slopes of Spring Mountain in 1943. They built their winery in 1951 and made their first vintage in 1952. The winery notes it has been called Napa Valley's first cult wine producer, and it sold its wine through what it calls the valley's first mailing list. Mike Chelini made the wine for more than 40 years, and the Lawrence family has owned the estate since 2020.
The vineyards climb steep terraces in the Spring Mountain District AVA, on a northeast-facing hillside in the Mayacamas range, with volcanic soil over a layer of limestone. The McCreas were known for Chardonnay and for white grapes such as Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Cabernet Sauvignon was first planted in 2004 and the first red wines came out in 2009. The estate is farmed with regenerative practices.
Visits are by reservation, Thursday through Monday. Taste of Stony Hill pours three Cabernet Sauvignons in about an hour. The Residence Experience adds single-vineyard wines, the estate Chardonnay, cheese and a walking tour. The Terroir Experience takes up to four guests through the vineyards by SUV before a tasting of five wines. The wines are made in small, allocated amounts, so a visit is a good way to taste them.
Tasting Fees
$75 for Taste of Stony Hill, up to an hour ($60 for Napa Valley residents). $150 for the Residence Experience, with cheese and a walking tour, up to 90 minutes ($50 refunded for every three bottles purchased). $200 for the Terroir Experience, a 90-minute vineyard tour and tasting for up to four 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
3331 St. Helena Highway North, St. Helena
AVA
Spring Mountain District
Visiting
Open Thursday through Monday by reservation, booked in advance on Tock. For same-day visits, the winery asks guests to call.
Known For
Chardonnay since the 1950s, and today estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah from Spring Mountain
Founded
1943 (winery built in 1951, first vintage in 1952)
Good to Know
Guests must be 21 or over. Tock takes parties of up to 6 for the Residence Experience and up to 7 for Taste of Stony Hill; the Terroir Experience is for up to 4. Larger groups contact the winery. No outside food and no pets other than service dogs. Designated drivers taste free with the code DD.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn.
10:00 · Pickup at Alila Napa Valley or Harvest Inn
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Alila Napa Valley, an adults-focused Hyatt resort on Main Street in St. Helena, is about 6 minutes from Stony Hill, and Harvest Inn, a garden resort beside the vineyards at the south end of town, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Stony Hill Vineyard
Taste of Stony Hill, about an hour ($75). The Residence Experience ($150) runs up to 90 minutes and moves the rest of the day back 30 minutes.
11:35 · Envy Wines
About 15 minutes away. A Tuscan-style tasting room on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga, with a patio that looks out toward Old Faithful Geyser. Tastings are $35, waived with the purchase of two bottles. By reservation; open Thursday through Monday.
12:55 · Lunch at Gott's Roadside
About 18 minutes away. Lunch at Gott's Roadside on Main Street in St. Helena, where Gott's began in 1999, with picnic tables on the lawn, open daily from 11 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:00 · Rutherford Ranch Winery
About 10 minutes away. A Silverado Trail winery with about fifty years of history in Rutherford, where a wine educator walks you through current releases. The Reserve Tasting is $55 for about an hour, and the Torcia Experience with a tour of the Abela Estate vineyard is $95. By reservation; open daily.
3:05 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:15 p.m., well within six hours of pickup, with time to linger or add a stop.
Optional: Alpha Omega
Adds about 90 minutes. A Rutherford winery on Highway 29 whose estate fountains have become a local landmark. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows for the Terrace Tasting (from $75, 90 minutes); last seating at 4:30 p.m.
About $165 to $280 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Stony Hill and Envy Wines both welcome guests Thursday through Monday only, so this day works best on those days.
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 Stony Hill?
Yes. Tastings are by reservation and prepaid, Thursday through Monday. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Stony Hill?
$75 per person for Taste of Stony Hill, $150 for the Residence Experience and $200 for the Terroir Experience, as of September 2026.
Can children visit Stony Hill?
No. Guests under 21 are not permitted. Designated drivers of legal age can visit without a tasting fee.
What is Stony Hill known for?
Chardonnay. Stony Hill has made Chardonnay on Spring Mountain since its first vintage in 1952 and has been called Napa Valley's first cult wine producer. It now also makes estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Who owns Stony Hill?
The Lawrence family, who bought the estate in 2020. It was founded by Fred and Eleanor McCrea.
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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