St. Helena · Napa Valley
Visit VGS Chateau Potelle with a Private Chauffeur
A small, French-owned winery pouring single-vineyard wines with bites from La Toque in a St. Helena tasting house and garden, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Jean-Noel Fourmeaux, a son of Bordeaux, came to Napa Valley in 1980, sent by the French government to study the valley for six months. He sent a telegram home: "Looks good, I stay." With Marketta Fourmeaux he founded Chateau Potelle in 1983 on the slopes of Mount Veeder, and he is still the proprietor today, with more than 40 harvests behind him.
After about 24 years on the mountain, the Mount Veeder winery was sold in 2007, and in 2013 the winery reopened as VGS Chateau Potelle in a tasting house on Highway 29 at Dowdell Lane, in the St. Helena AVA. The wines are small-production, single-vineyard bottlings from sites such as the dry-farmed Bald Mountain Vineyard and organically farmed Saffron Vineyard on Mount Veeder.
Guests taste in the Tasting House and Garden, which the winery describes as elegant, relaxed and a little irreverent, in keeping with its motto, "Excellence without the Pretense." Each wine is poured in its own Riedel glass. The Signature experience pairs six wines with bites from La Toque, Chef Ken Frank's restaurant, and there is also a wine and cheese tasting and a five-course lunch.
Tasting Fees
$35 for the VGS Garden Flight, three wines in the garden (a summer offering). $50 for the Judgment of Paris 50th Anniversary Tasting, five wines in 90 minutes (limited time). $75 for a private Wine Tasting of six wines. $95 for the Signature VGS Wine & Food Experience or VGS et Fromage, six wines each in 90 minutes. $250 for the VGS Epicurean Lunch, 2.5 hours, Wednesday to Sunday, plus a 20% service charge.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1200 Dowdell Lane, St. Helena
AVA
St. Helena
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tastings are by reservation through Tock.
Known For
Small-production single-vineyard wines, including Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay, paired with food from La Toque
Founded
1983 (St. Helena tasting house opened in 2013)
Good to Know
All guests must be 21 or over; infants and children are not permitted. Most experiences take parties of up to 6 (up to 8 for the Judgment of Paris tasting). Only certified service animals are allowed, so no pets.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Alila Napa Valley
Stay close and the tasting starts right away. Harvest Inn, a vineyard-side resort at the south end of St. Helena, is about 3 minutes from VGS Chateau Potelle, and Alila Napa Valley, a resort on Main Street in St. Helena, is about 5 minutes away. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · VGS Chateau Potelle
The Signature VGS Wine & Food Experience, six wines with bites from La Toque in 90 minutes ($95). The private Wine Tasting of six wines ($75) is the lower-priced choice.
12:00 · Groth Vineyards & Winery
About 12 minutes away. A family winery on Oakville Cross Road that has farmed and made Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay since 1982. A Taste of Groth is $50 for 45 minutes. Reservations required; 21 and over.
1:00 · Lunch at Auberge du Soleil
About 10 minutes away. Lunch at Auberge du Soleil, the hillside resort above Rutherford, where The Restaurant serves a prix fixe lunch and the Bar serves daily 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.
2:30 · Titus Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. A family winery on the Silverado Trail north of St. Helena, where the Vista Room tasting looks out over the 50-acre estate vineyard. The Vista Room Experience is $60 and takes about an hour, with one fee waived for a three-bottle purchase. By appointment; last booking at 3 p.m.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Harvest Inn and Alila Napa Valley are each about 12 minutes from Titus. Back by 4:00 p.m., six hours after pickup.
Optional: The Prisoner Wine Company
Adds about an hour. A tasting lounge on Galleron Road south of St. Helena, about 15 minutes from Titus. Walk-ins are welcome, though reservations are recommended; the Iconic Prisoner Series is about $53 for 45 minutes. Last reservation at 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 4:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
About $185 to $205 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, 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 VGS Chateau Potelle?
Yes. Tastings are booked in advance through Tock. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at VGS Chateau Potelle?
$35 per person for the summer Garden Flight, $50 for the limited-time Judgment of Paris tasting, $75 for the Wine Tasting, $95 for the Signature food pairing or the wine and cheese tasting, and $250 plus service charge for the Epicurean Lunch, as of September 2026.
Can children visit VGS Chateau Potelle?
No. All guests must be 21 or over, and infants and children are not permitted.
What food is served at VGS Chateau Potelle?
The Signature experience pairs six wines with bites from La Toque, Chef Ken Frank's restaurant. Chef Frank also prepares the five-course Epicurean Lunch, offered Wednesday to Sunday.
Who owns VGS Chateau Potelle?
Proprietor Jean-Noel Fourmeaux, who came to Napa Valley from Bordeaux in 1980 and founded Chateau Potelle on Mount Veeder in 1983.
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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