Rutherford · Napa Valley
Visit Tres Sabores with a Private Chauffeur
Julie Johnson's organic farm and winery on the Rutherford Bench, where you taste at your own table by the vines and wander among sheep, guinea fowl and olive trees, and a suggested six-hour day around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Julie Johnson arrived at the end of South Whitehall Lane in 1987 and founded Tres Sabores in 1999; she is still the owner and winemaker. Before that she co-founded Frog's Leap with her first husband, John Williams, and partner Larry Turley. The name means three tastes: the vine, the terroir and the good company around the table.
The ranch sits at the valley's western edge on the Rutherford Bench, where olives and vines were planted more than a century ago. It is a certified organic farm of Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot alongside pomegranates, Meyer lemons and olives, with sheep and guinea fowl doing the mowing and fertilizing. Lonely Planet calls it a portal to old Napa, with no fancy tasting room.
This is a visit guests talk about on the drive home. You sit at a private table next to the vineyard while your host pours five estate and limited-release wines, then wander the vineyard, the farm animals, the hedgerows and the kitchen garden on your own. The ranch dogs make friends quickly, picnics and cheese platters can be arranged, and non-drinkers and kids are welcome.
Tasting Fees
$65 for the Portfolio Wine Tasting Experience, five estate and limited-release wines at a private table by the vineyard, typically 90 minutes, for groups of up to 6 (waived for guests buying 4 or more bottles). Cheese and charcuterie platters are $34 and serve up to 4.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1620 South Whitehall Lane, St. Helena
AVA
Rutherford
Visiting
By appointment only, Wednesday to Monday (closed Tuesday). The first tasting begins at 10 a.m. and the last at 3 p.m. Reservations are made by phone or text, and weekends book up ahead.
Known For
Organically farmed Rutherford Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, plus pomegranates and olives from the ranch
Founded
1999, by Julie Johnson
Good to Know
Group sizes include children and non-drinkers; minors are free, adult non-tasters pay a small fee, and children must be closely supervised. Dogs need their own reservation and must stay leashed, with no more than two on the ranch at once. Picnics with your tasting are arranged ahead ($30 per group of up to 6). Groups over 6 have different pricing.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil.
9:45 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Auberge du Soleil
The first tasting at the ranch is at 10, so we pick up at 9:45. Harvest Inn, at the south end of St. Helena, is about 10 minutes away, and Auberge du Soleil, on the hillside above Rutherford, about 18. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Tres Sabores
The Portfolio Wine Tasting Experience at your own table by the vineyard, typically 90 minutes ($65), with time to walk the farm.
11:45 · Sequoia Grove
About 12 minutes away. Rutherford Cabernet poured in the estate gardens or a historic barn from about 1908. The Single Vineyard Experience is $75 ($100 with paired bites) and the Taste of Sequoia Grove is $60; we allow about an hour. Reservations required; closed Tuesdays.
1:00 · Lunch at Cook St. Helena
About 8 minutes away. Northern Italian cooking at Cook St. Helena on Main Street, a small local favorite open for lunch Monday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Whitehall Lane Winery
About 7 minutes away. A Leonardini family winery south of St. Helena with a private pickleball court among the vines and views of the Mayacamas. The seated Elevated Cabernet Sauvignon Flight of five Cabernets with cheese is $90, and the Winery Exclusive Flight is $65; we allow about an hour.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:30 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $190 to $255 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
Tres Sabores and Sequoia Grove are closed Tuesdays and Cook serves lunch Monday to Friday, so plan this day for Monday or Wednesday to Friday; on a weekend we book a different lunch.
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 Tres Sabores?
Yes. Every visit to the ranch is by appointment, Wednesday to Monday, booked by phone or text. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Tres Sabores?
$65 per person for the Portfolio Wine Tasting Experience, waived for guests buying 4 or more bottles, as of September 2026.
Can children visit Tres Sabores?
Yes. Families are welcome; there is no charge for minors, who must be closely supervised, and adult non-tasters pay a small fee.
Can I bring my dog to Tres Sabores?
Yes, with a reservation for the dog too. Dogs stay leashed, and only two are allowed on the ranch at a time.
Who owns Tres Sabores?
Winemaker Julie Johnson, who founded it in 1999 and earlier co-founded Frog's Leap.
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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