West Sonoma Coast · Sonoma County
Visit Aston Estate with a Private Chauffeur
A remote, single-vineyard Pinot Noir estate near Annapolis on the far Sonoma Coast, now led by Thomas Rivers Brown and tasted by appointment in St. Helena, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
In 2000 a remote, rugged 40-acre parcel a few miles from the Pacific, near the township of Annapolis, was found, and the first vintage was made in 2004 under the Aston Experimental label. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, also of Rivers-Marie, acquired the project in 2021, and has since cut the vineyard into ever smaller pieces at harvest to find where the best fruit grows, moving the style toward the freshness of his Rivers-Marie wines.
The vineyard sits about five miles and two ridgelines in from the coast, just above the fog line, so days are long and temperate. Its 14 acres are planted only to Pinot Noir, Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777, on Goldridge loam with gentle 10 to 15 percent slopes facing southwest. Aston Estate is a best-barrel selection from the center of the vineyard, savory and wild with dark berries and a mineral core; the Aston Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir blends estate fruit with vineyards such as Riddle, Joy Road and Chouette.
The estate itself is far out on the coast and is not set up for visits. Instead, Aston pours by appointment at the Royal We tasting room on Main Street in St. Helena, beside Gott's Roadside and across from the Charter Oak, with private rooms, original artwork and a rotating selection of library vintages for sale. So this is a Napa Valley day, built around a Sonoma Coast wine.
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
Aston Estate Vineyard, Annapolis
AVA
West Sonoma Coast
Visiting
By appointment at the Royal We tasting room, 929 Main Street, St. Helena. Members request appointments through their account; others first join the mailing list, then request a visit. A reservation is final only once payment is received and the Royal We team confirms it.
Known For
Single-vineyard estate Pinot Noir from the West Sonoma Coast
Founded
2004 (first vintage; vineyard parcel found in 2000)
Good to Know
The vineyard near Annapolis is not open to visitors; tastings are in St. Helena. Current releases and library vintages can be bought at the tasting. Contact by phone or text at 707-339-9609. Age and pet policies are not published; we confirm them when booking.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a St. Helena hotel such as Harvest Inn or Meadowood.
10:00 · Pickup at Harvest Inn or Meadowood
Harvest Inn, a garden resort at the south end of St. Helena, is about 5 minutes from the Royal We tasting room, and Meadowood, the resort east of St. Helena, about 10. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Aston Estate
A tasting of Aston Pinot Noir at the Royal We tasting room on Main Street, by appointment; the fee is confirmed when we book.
11:25 · Crocker & Starr
About 5 minutes away. Charlie Crocker, great-grandson of the railroad builder, and Pam Starr, then winemaker at Spottswoode, shook hands on this 1870s property at the south edge of St. Helena in 1997 and are still equal partners. The private Estate Vineyard Experience starts with sparkling wine in the vines, moves through the winery and ends with the estate reds under the shaded Garden Arbor ($95, about 75 minutes). By reservation only, up to 6 guests.
12:50 · Lunch at Gott's Roadside
About 5 minutes away. A James Beard award-winning roadside restaurant on Main Street in St. Helena, known for burgers, ahi tacos and a California wine list, with picnic tables on the lawn. 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.
2:00 · Benessere Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. John and Ellen Benish restored this estate on Big Tree Road in 1994 and make Napa Valley wines from Italian grapes such as Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Aglianico, poured on a vine-side patio. The Seated Library Tasting is $80, and the 90-minute Bella Giornata Tour & Tasting $85. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with seated times by reservation from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; leashed dogs welcome.
3:00 · Back to your hotel
Back in St. Helena by 3:15 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Aston pours in St. Helena rather than at its remote coastal vineyard, so this day stays in Napa Valley, with short legs around St. Helena and time to spare at the end.
About $175 per person at Crocker & Starr and Benessere, paid directly to each winery; the Aston 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
Can I visit Aston Estate?
Not at the vineyard, which is on a remote site near Annapolis. Aston pours by appointment at the Royal We tasting room in St. Helena; members request a visit through their account, and others join the mailing list first. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is an Aston tasting?
Aston does not publish a tasting fee, so tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation.
Who makes Aston Estate?
Thomas Rivers Brown, who acquired the project in 2021 and also makes Rivers-Marie in Calistoga.
Where is the Aston vineyard?
Near the township of Annapolis on the far Sonoma Coast, about five miles and two ridgelines from the ocean, in the West Sonoma Coast appellation.
How can I buy Aston wine?
Through the mailing list, which members use to buy and to request appointments, and at the St. Helena tasting, where library vintages are also offered.
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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