Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Balletto with a Private Chauffeur
A family farm turned estate winery, with tram tours and a baseball field among the vines, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
John Balletto was 17 when his father died in 1977, and he gave up college athletic scholarships to help his mother, Hazel, run their five-acre farm. By 1994 the family had built it into the largest vegetable farm in Northern California, with more than 70 vegetables on over 700 acres.
On the advice of neighbor Warren Dutton, John and his wife Terri began planting wine grapes, and after El Niño storms wiped out their vegetables in 1998 they converted all of their farmland to vineyards, mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They sell most of their fruit to well-known Sonoma wineries, keep the top 10 percent for their own label, and made their first vintage in 2001.
The winery sits among the estate vines west of Santa Rosa, and the visit has a farm family's warmth. The Sustainability Tram Tour rolls through the vineyards, and tucked among the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is a regulation baseball field the family built with its vineyard crew for their team. Dogs and children are welcome.
Tasting Fees
$15 for the 30-minute RRV Flagship Flight at the bar. $30 for the 60-minute seated Estate Wine Tasting of five vineyard-designate wines. $25 for the Chardonnay Experience. $40 for the Walking Estate Tour & Tasting, 60 to 90 minutes, and $45 for A Taste of History library tasting, 60 minutes. $50 for Bob's Sustainability Tram Tour, 90 minutes.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Walk-ins welcome; tours and seated tastings can be reserved.
Known For
Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and the Dream Field
Founded
2001
Good to Know
Dog and family friendly, with outdoor space and a self-guided vineyard walk. Local cheeses and cured meats are sold in the tasting room. The tram tour takes 8 people at most and is canceled in rain.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Santa Rosa hotel such as Hotel E or Vinarosa Resort & Spa.
10:00 · Pickup at Hotel E or Vinarosa
Hotel E, a restored 1906 Beaux-Arts landmark on the square in downtown Santa Rosa, is about 20 minutes from Balletto, and Vinarosa Resort & Spa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, about 25. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:25 · Balletto Vineyards
The seated Estate Wine Tasting, 60 minutes ($30), or Bob's Sustainability Tram Tour, 90 minutes ($50), with a look at the Dream Field.
11:40 · Kosta Browne
About 15 minutes away. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay house that Dan Kosta and Michael Browne, two waiters at a Santa Rosa restaurant, started in 1997 with pooled tips; its 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2011. The Appellations Exploration is $125, and the Observations Flight, with a walking tour of the working cellar, $150, each for 1 to 8 guests. Prepaid reservations required.
1:00 · Lunch at Bird & The Bottle
About 20 minutes away. Chef Mark Stark's modern tavern just east of downtown Santa Rosa, with plates to share from a wood-fired grill, three dining rooms and two decks. 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.
2:30 · Merry Edwards Winery
About 25 minutes away. Founded in 1997 by Merry Edwards, a pioneer of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, and owned by Maison Louis Roederer since 2019, with a vineyard-view tasting room and a quiet patio. The Appellation Tasting is $45 and the Reserve Tasting of its most sought-after Pinot Noirs $90; allow 60 to 90 minutes. By appointment; open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 4:00 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. If you take Balletto's 90-minute tram tour, we shorten the Kosta Browne stop or move lunch a little later.
About $200 to $290 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, paid directly to each winery.
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 Balletto?
No. Walk-ins are welcome daily, and tours and seated tastings can be reserved ahead. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Balletto?
$15 for the RRV Flagship Flight, $30 for the seated Estate Wine Tasting and $50 for the tram tour, as of September 2026.
Can children and dogs visit Balletto?
Yes. The winery is dog and family friendly, with outdoor space and a self-guided vineyard walk.
Is there really a baseball field at Balletto?
Yes. The family set aside four acres for a regulation field, built with the vineyard crew for their team, in the middle of the vineyards.
Who owns Balletto Vineyards?
The Balletto family: John and Terri Balletto and their daughters, Caterina and Jacqueline.
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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