Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Ancient Oak Cellars with a Private Chauffeur
Native-yeast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a family ranch rebuilding after the Tubbs Fire, where a replica of the Fountaingrove Round Barn is rising, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Melissa Moholt-Siebert founded Ancient Oak about 20 years ago, after a career in neuroscience research. Her first wine, in 2006, was a Pinot Noir from Siebert Ranch, the family vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Her husband, Ken, farms the ranch his grandparents replanted to vines, and took it over when they passed away. In 2014 Greg La Follette, who apprenticed under André Tchelistcheff, joined the team; after a decade of working alongside him, Melissa became Ancient Oak's winemaker in 2023, with Greg now in a guiding role.
Everything is made in small lots: grapes are hand-sorted, fermented with native yeasts in open-top dairy tanks, punched down by hand and aged in French oak. The range covers Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel from the Russian River Valley and, since 2012, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from Sonoma Mountain, in Reserve, Single-Vineyard and Appellation tiers, several named for Greek poets such as Sappho and Praxilla. Ken grazes sheep in the rows in winter, and the farming is certified by Fish Friendly Farming. The winery takes its name from the old oak at the center of the property.
The 2017 Tubbs Fire wiped out Siebert Ranch, and the family has spent the years since rebuilding and replanting. Ken, an architect and grapegrower, is also building a replica of the Fountaingrove Round Barn on the farm, just north of the original, and finished its structural frame in February 2026. Appointments are very limited during the rebuilding, so a visit here is a rare, personal look at a family winery coming back.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
4120 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, Thursday to Saturday; closed Sunday to Wednesday. Appointments are very limited during rebuilding after the 2017 Tubbs Fire, and the winery asks that no one visit without one.
Known For
Native-yeast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley, and Sonoma Mountain Bordeaux-style reds
Founded
2006 (first vintage)
Good to Know
Appointments are arranged by text or email with Melissa. Do not arrive without a confirmed appointment.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:50 a.m. from a Santa Rosa hotel such as Vinarosa or Hotel E.
9:50 · Pickup at Vinarosa or Hotel E
Vinarosa Resort & Spa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, is about 5 minutes from Ancient Oak Cellars, and Hotel E, a restored 1906 Beaux-Arts landmark on the square in downtown Santa Rosa, about 10, so we pick up at 9:50 downtown and 9:55 at Vinarosa. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Ancient Oak Cellars
A private appointment tasting, about an hour (fee confirmed when we book).
11:25 · Calluna Vineyards
About 25 minutes away. David and Marla Jeffrey's hilltop estate in Chalk Hill, planted from 2005 to the five classic red Bordeaux varieties; David left a corporate treasury career at 44 to study winemaking. Visits are usually hosted at the vineyard home, $50 per person, waived with a purchase. By appointment only.
1:00 · Lunch at Bird & The Bottle
About 35 minutes away. Chef Mark Stark's modern tavern on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa, with plates to share from the American South, Asia and Jewish comfort food, and two patios; we reserve the table for you. Open 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.
2:20 · Carol Shelton Wines
About 15 minutes away. Carol Shelton is a five-time Winemaker of the Year whose 2011 Wild Thing Zinfandel made Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2014, and she pours her single-vineyard Zinfandels and Rhône-style wines in a homey tasting room in a Santa Rosa business park. The reserve tasting is $20, waived with a one-bottle purchase. Walk-ins welcome; open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 3:30 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday to Saturday, when Ancient Oak takes its very limited appointments, so we confirm it first and build the day around it.
About $70 per person in tasting fees for Calluna and Carol Shelton, paid directly to each winery; the Ancient Oak tasting fee is to be verified upon reservation.
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 an appointment at Ancient Oak Cellars?
Yes. Visits are by appointment only, Thursday to Saturday, and are very limited during rebuilding after the Tubbs Fire. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Ancient Oak Cellars?
The winery does not publish a tasting fee; it is to be verified upon reservation.
Who makes the wine at Ancient Oak Cellars?
Founder Melissa Moholt-Siebert, who has been winemaker since 2023 after ten years of making wine alongside Greg La Follette.
What is the Round Barn rebuild?
Ken Moholt-Siebert, an architect and grapegrower, began building a replica of the Fountaingrove Round Barn on the family farm, just north of the original location, shortly after the 2017 Tubbs Fire. Its structural frame was finished in February 2026.
Where is Ancient Oak Cellars?
On Old Redwood Highway in north Santa Rosa, about 5 minutes from Vinarosa.
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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