Moon Mountain District · Sonoma County
Visit B. Wise Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Private tastings in a winding estate cave high on Moon Mountain, next to Monte Rosso, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Brion Wise came to Sonoma from Boulder, Colorado, where his restaurant, Trios, was known for its wine list, looking for land to found a vineyard and winery. On a ridge of Moon Mountain he found a dirt road with no easements, drilled a well and ran everything on generators while the estate was built. B. Wise Vineyards was founded in 2002, and Brion and his wife, Ronda West Wise, still own it and make the estate their home. In 2019 they bought their neighbor, Richard Arrowood's Amapola Creek.
Brion walked the property for months before planting, and the estate vineyards went in in 2002 with help from John Caldwell. They sit against the historic Monte Rosso Vineyard on west-facing slopes of iron-rich volcanic soil, above the fog and looking out over the Sonoma Valley to San Pablo Bay, and Phil Coturri farms them today. The estate grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Zinfandel. B. Wise also makes Napa Valley Cabernet, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, with winemakers including Massimo Monticelli and Mark Herold.
The reason to make the drive up the mountain is the Estate Cave. Its fermenting and aging tunnels open into rooms and alcoves for tasting, furnished by Ronda with vintage pieces, 1920s art posters and Wild West bronzes under a canopy of twinkle lights in the central salon, and Wine Enthusiast singled out the cave tour as something not to miss. Tastings here are private and by appointment, and the terrace outside looks over the estate vines to the valley floor. For a casual stop, the B. Wise Tasting Lounge in Kenwood takes walk-ins daily.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation. The winery does not publish a fee for the Estate Cave tasting.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
Estate on Moon Mountain (address given at booking), Sonoma
AVA
Moon Mountain District
Visiting
Estate Cave tastings on Moon Mountain are private and by appointment only, requested by phone, by email or through the winery's tasting inquiry form; the winery confirms the time. The B. Wise Tasting Lounge at 9380 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood is open to the public daily, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except major holidays.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Tannat from Moon Mountain, and the Estate Cave
Founded
2002
Good to Know
The estate is a private home and working winery, and the address is given when the appointment is confirmed. The Lodge on the estate is reserved for exclusive private tastings and events. Large groups visiting the Kenwood lounge should call ahead.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Sonoma hotel such as Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn or El Dorado Hotel.
10:00 · Pickup at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn or El Dorado Hotel
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, a historic resort with its own geothermal mineral waters, is about 10 minutes from the B. Wise estate, and El Dorado Hotel, a boutique hotel on the Sonoma Plaza, about 15. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · B. Wise Vineyards
A private tasting in the Estate Cave, by appointment, with time on the terrace over the vineyards. Fee to be verified upon reservation.
11:35 · Repris
About 20 minutes away. Repris makes its wines from Moon Mountain Vineyard, first planted in the 1880s and later home to Carmenet, and every visit is private: an open-air tour of the vineyard blocks, a walk through 18,000 square feet of caves dug into the mountain, and a seated tasting of estate wines. The Moon Mountain Vineyard experience is about 90 minutes ($125). By request only; the winery confirms a morning or afternoon time.
1:35 · Lunch at the girl & the fig
About 30 minutes away. Sondra Bernstein's restaurant on the Sonoma Plaza, serving French country cooking from a seasonal menu, with cheese and charcuterie, a Rhône-focused wine list and a garden patio. Open from 11:30 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:50 · Moon Hollow Wine Estate
About 5 minutes away. Michael and Xochi Birch's family estate pours in a tasting room with a lounge and garden patio on the west side of the Sonoma Plaza. The wines come from an organic vineyard at about 1,200 feet in the Moon Mountain District and are made by Mark Herold, the founder of Merus. The Comparative Experience, an eight-wine overview of the estate for 2 to 6 guests, is $95. Reservations daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
3:50 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sonoma by 4:00 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. B. Wise and Repris both set visit times by appointment, so we confirm the day when we book, and lunch comes a little later than usual after the Repris cave tour.
About $220 per person for Repris and Moon Hollow, paid directly to each winery; the B. Wise 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 B. Wise Vineyards?
Yes, for the Estate Cave on Moon Mountain: tastings there are private and by appointment only. The Kenwood Tasting Lounge takes walk-ins. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at B. Wise?
The winery does not publish a fee for the Estate Cave tasting, so tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation.
What is the B. Wise Estate Cave like?
A network of fermenting and aging tunnels with tasting rooms and private alcoves, decorated with vintage furniture, 1920s posters and Wild West bronzes, and an outdoor terrace looking over the estate vineyards and the Sonoma Valley.
Who owns B. Wise Vineyards?
Brion Wise and his wife, Ronda West Wise, who founded it in 2002 and live on the estate. In 2019 they also bought neighboring Amapola Creek from Richard Arrowood.
Where is B. Wise Vineyards?
The estate and cave are on Moon Mountain in the Moon Mountain District, above the Sonoma Valley near Sonoma. The public Tasting Lounge is at 9380 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood.
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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