Rutherford · Napa Valley
Visit The Prisoner with a Private Chauffeur
A Rutherford tasting lounge for the red blend that began as 385 cases in 2000, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Winemaker Dave Phinney made the first vintage of The Prisoner in 2000, just 385 cases of an unusual red blend. Huneeus Vintners bought the brand in 2010, and Constellation Brands bought it in 2016. Today Director of Winemaking Todd Ricard and his team work with more than 100 growers in Northern California to make a family of blends.
The label shows Francisco de Goya's etching "Le Petit Prisonnier," from his Disasters of War series. Since 2022 the winery has released Corrections each year, a limited edition whose labels are made with artists who have experienced incarceration. The wines are built by blending, including Zinfandel the winery has bought from the Solari family's Calistoga vineyard since 2005.
The tasting lounge sits on Galleron Road just off Highway 29 in the Rutherford AVA, in the former Franciscan Estate winery. Expect a dark, moody room with shackles used as wine racks. Wine Enthusiast named it a Winery Experience of the Year finalist. Visits range from a 45-minute trio of wines to seated food and wine pairings, and walk-ins are welcome.
Tasting Fees
$42 plus fees for The Iconic Prisoner Series (about 45 minutes) and $52 plus fees for The Bespoke Series (about an hour), both daily. $75 for Sip, Slice & Savor, a wine and pizza pairing, Friday to Sunday. $95 plus fees for The Sensory Series (75 to 90 minutes), Thursday to Sunday. $118 for After Hours Wine + Dim Sum, Fridays at 5 p.m. (about 90 minutes). $155 plus fees for The Masterpiece Series (about 90 minutes), Thursday to Sunday. "Plus fees" means an 18% hospitality fee and tax.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1178 Galleron Road, St. Helena
AVA
Rutherford
Visiting
Open daily. Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last reservation 4 p.m.); Friday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (last reservation 4:30 p.m.). Reservations recommended; walk-ins welcome.
Known For
The Prisoner red blend and a family of bold, multi-variety blends, plus the Corrections art series
Founded
2000 (first vintage)
Good to Know
Online reservations are for up to 10 guests; groups of 10 or more book through the winery's group team. The Sensory Series seats 2 to 8 guests and the Masterpiece Series 2 to 6. Most listed prices are plus an 18% hospitality fee and tax.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil
The tasting lounge opens at 10 a.m., so the day starts right away. Harvest Inn, a garden resort at the south end of St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from The Prisoner, and Auberge du Soleil, a hillside resort above Rutherford, is about 10 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · The Prisoner Wine Company
The Iconic Prisoner Series, a trio of wines led by the flagship red blend, about 45 minutes ($42 plus fees). The Bespoke Series ($52 plus fees) pours four winery-exclusive wines over about an hour and moves the rest of the day back 15 minutes.
11:10 · Nickel & Nickel
About 8 minutes away. A sister winery to Far Niente in Oakville, devoted to single-vineyard wines and set around an 1884 Victorian farmhouse. A 60-minute seated tasting is $75. Reservations are encouraged, especially on weekends; open daily.
12:25 · Lunch at Gott's Roadside
About 12 minutes away. Lunch at Gott's Roadside on Main Street in St. Helena, where Gott's began in 1999, 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.
1:55 · Rutherford Hill Winery
About 13 minutes away. A hillside winery above the Silverado Trail with wine caves and a Valley Vista Terrace looking over the valley. A 90-minute tasting is $75 daily; on weekdays, Discover Rutherford Hill is $45 for 45 minutes. Booked in advance, up to 8 guests; families are welcome on the terrace.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup. With the shorter weekday tasting at Rutherford Hill, you are back around 3:00.
Optional: PEJU Winery
Adds about an hour. A family-owned Rutherford estate that has welcomed guests since 1983, about 8 minutes from Rutherford Hill. The Taster's Trio takes walk-ins when space allows ($40, three wines); open daily until 5 p.m.
About $175 to $215 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries (including The Prisoner's hospitality fee and tax), 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 The Prisoner?
Reservations are recommended, and walk-ins are welcome. The food pairings and groups of 10 or more need to be booked ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at The Prisoner?
$42 per person for The Iconic Prisoner Series and $52 for The Bespoke Series, each plus an 18% hospitality fee and tax. Seated pairings run $75 to $155 per person, as of September 2026.
What is The Prisoner known for?
Its flagship red blend, first made by Dave Phinney in 2000, and a family of bold blends with labels built around Goya's etching "Le Petit Prisonnier."
Who owns The Prisoner Wine Company?
Constellation Brands, which bought the brand in 2016. Todd Ricard is Director of Winemaking.
Where do you taste The Prisoner wines?
At the tasting lounge at 1178 Galleron Road, just off Highway 29 in the Rutherford AVA, in the former Franciscan Estate winery.
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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