Chiles Valley District · Napa Valley
Visit Volker Eisele with a Private Chauffeur
A certified organic family estate in remote Chiles Valley, where a gravity-flow winery from the 1870s still stands, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
The estate was once part of the Rancho Catacula land grant given to Joseph Ballinger Chiles in 1843. By the 1870s German immigrant Francis Sievers had founded Lomita's Vineyard and Winery here, and his original gravity-flow winery building still stands on the property, a reminder of Napa Valley's earliest winemaking.
The Eisele family bought the property in 1974, replanted the vineyard on its 1870s footprint and chose to farm organically; the first vines, See clone Cabernet Sauvignon, went in in 1975. The vineyard is certified organic by CCOF and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Volker Eisele did much of the work behind the Chiles Valley District becoming its own AVA in 1999.
Today the second generation, Alexander and Catherine Eisele, carry on the estate. Visits are by request: you send a preferred date and a morning or afternoon time, and the winery replies by phone or email. We send the request on your behalf. The drive over the hills from St. Helena, past Lake Hennessey, is part of the day.
Tasting Fees
Volker Eisele does not publish a tasting fee. Any visit and its cost are confirmed by the winery when it replies to the request.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3080 Lower Chiles Valley Road, St. Helena
AVA
Chiles Valley District
Visiting
By appointment or private request only, through the winery's visitation request; the winery replies by phone or email. We arrange it on your behalf.
Known For
Organically farmed Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and the Terzetto red blend
Founded
1974 (estate winery dates to the 1870s)
Good to Know
The winery's website is for guests 21 and over; ages, group size and pets are confirmed when the visit is arranged. We ask for a morning visit to keep the rest of the day on schedule.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Meadowood or Alila Napa Valley. The estate is about 25 to 30 minutes over the hills, so the day starts 15 minutes early.
9:45 · Pickup at Meadowood or Alila Napa Valley
Meadowood, at the foot of Howell Mountain, is about 25 minutes from the estate by way of Lake Hennessey, and Alila Napa Valley, at the north end of St. Helena, about 30 minutes. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Volker Eisele Family Estate
A private visit at the Chiles Valley estate, by request; we ask for a morning time. We plan about an hour; the format and any fee are confirmed by the winery.
11:35 · Dakota Shy
About 20 minutes away. A small Cabernet house on a historic estate at the base of Pritchard Hill, shaded by redwoods and magnolias and with its own olive grove; every visit starts with a walk around the grounds and winery. The Estate Tasting is $125, about 75 minutes. By appointment only.
1:05 · Lunch at Forum at Meadowood
About 12 minutes away. Lunch at Forum, the main restaurant at Meadowood at the foot of Howell Mountain, with seasonal dishes drawn from the Meadowood farm. Lunch is served on weekdays, with brunch on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:15 · Sullivan Rutherford Estate
About 15 minutes away. A family estate on Galleron Road whose Founder's Tasting starts with a guided walk through the vineyards and gardens around the family residence, designed with architect John Marsh Davis, then a seated tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with cheese and charcuterie. $150. By appointment only.
3:25 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 3:40 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
About $275 per person in tasting fees for Dakota Shy and Sullivan, paid directly to each winery, plus any fee Volker Eisele sets for a visit.
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 Volker Eisele?
Yes. Visits are by request through the winery, which replies by phone or email to confirm. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Volker Eisele?
Volker Eisele does not publish a tasting fee; any fee is set by the winery when it confirms the visit, as of September 2026.
What is the history of the Volker Eisele estate?
It was part of the 1843 Rancho Catacula grant. Francis Sievers founded Lomita's Vineyard and Winery here in the 1870s, and his gravity-flow winery building still stands. The Eisele family bought the property in 1974.
Is the Volker Eisele vineyard organic?
Yes. It has been farmed organically since the family replanted it and is certified by CCOF and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Who runs Volker Eisele Family Estate today?
The second generation, Alexander and Catherine Eisele.
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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