Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Carlisle with a Private Chauffeur
Old-vine Zinfandel and Rhône reds from vineyards planted as far back as 1888. Carlisle does not receive visitors; here is what to know, and a day at sought-after estates nearby that do host.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Mike Officer was a software developer with a garage winemaking habit when he and his wife, Kendall Carlisle, moved to Santa Rosa to be closer to Sonoma County's old vines. By 1997 they were making more than 300 cases of garage wine, mostly old-vine Zinfandel, and in 1998 they launched Carlisle Winery & Vineyards, making 650 cases in that first vintage, and bought the old Pelletti Ranch, whose oak tree inspired the label. Their college friend Jay Maddox, newly graduated in viticulture and enology from UC Davis, joined in 2001, and Mike left his corporate job in 2004.
Carlisle makes vineyard-designated old-vine Zinfandel and red Rhône and Spanish varieties, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah, from vineyards planted between 1888 and 1934, plus a few whites, among them Sonoma County's first Grüner Veltliner. Its own Carlisle Vineyard, planted in 1927 by Alcide Pelletti on the eastern bench of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, is a field blend of mostly Zinfandel in which the family has identified 43 different varieties. The aim, in the winery's words, is to grow and source the finest fruit, do as little as possible to it, and bottle it at the fairest price possible.
Carlisle sells through its mailing list, with two offers a year, one in January for the spring wines and one in July for the fall wines, and some wines go only to the list; new names join a waiting list. The website publishes no tasting room, hours or visiting program. For a day of small family producers and old vines, we take guests to wineries nearby that do open their doors.
Tasting Fees
Carlisle does not offer tastings.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
6301 Starr Road, Windsor
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Carlisle does not publish a visiting program, and its website lists no tasting room or hours. It sells its wines through its mailing list.
Known For
Old-vine, vineyard-designated Zinfandel, and Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah
Founded
1998
Good to Know
Join the mailing list or its waiting list on the winery's website; offers go out in January and July. To find the wines elsewhere, the winery itself suggests wine-searcher.com.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Russian River Valley hotel such as Farmhouse Inn in Forestville or Vinarosa in Santa Rosa.
10:00 · Pickup at Farmhouse Inn or Vinarosa
Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room inn on River Road in Forestville, is about 20 minutes from Wren Hop, and Vinarosa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, about 25. Since Carlisle does not host visitors, this day takes you to three sought-after estates nearby that do. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:25 · Wren Hop Vineyards
About 20 minutes away. A hilltop Pinot Noir and Chardonnay estate in Windsor, started in 2008 by former advertising creative director James McDonough and farmed with organic and biodynamic practices; the resident wildlife includes a bobcat named Carl. Guests taste limited-production, clone-specific wines while the team explains its winemaking. Wednesday to Sunday by reservation, 21 and over; we confirm the fee when we book.
11:45 · Old World Winery
About 20 minutes away. Darek Trowbridge's natural-wine winery on River Road in Fulton, in an up-cycled building of reclaimed redwood and 100-year-old brick on a working farm, pouring field blends from vines his great-grandfather Giuseppe Martinelli planted in 1890 and rare grapes such as Abouriou. Thursday to Saturday, by appointment; we confirm the fee when we book.
1:00 · Lunch at Bird & The Bottle
About 15 minutes away. Chef Mark Stark's modern tavern in an old house on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa, with plates to share from a wood-fired grill and two patios. 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 · Kosta Browne Winery
About 20 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 genuinely acclaimed name of the day: the Appellations Exploration is $125, and the Observations Flight, with a walking tour of the working cellar at The Barlow in Sebastopol, $150, each for 1 to 8 guests. Prepaid reservations required; days and times confirmed when we book.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back in Forestville or Santa Rosa by 4:10 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Wren Hop hosts Wednesday to Sunday and Old World Thursday to Saturday, so this day works Thursday to Saturday. It ends around 4:10.
About $125 to $150 per person at Kosta Browne, paid directly to the winery; tasting fees at Wren Hop and Old World are 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 you visit Carlisle Winery?
Carlisle does not publish a visiting program, and its website lists no tasting room or hours, as of September 2026. It sells through its mailing list. We can plan a day at wineries nearby that do host.
How can I buy Carlisle wine?
Through the mailing list, which sends offers in January and July; new names join a waiting list. Some wines are made in very small amounts and are sold only through the list.
Who owns Carlisle?
Founders Mike Officer and Kendall Carlisle, who started the winery in 1998. Their friend Jay Maddox joined in 2001.
Where is Carlisle?
Its physical address is on Starr Road in Windsor, in the Russian River Valley. The mailing address is in Santa Rosa.
What is Carlisle known for?
Old-vine Zinfandel from vineyards planted between 1888 and 1934, including its own Carlisle Vineyard, a 1927 field blend with 43 identified grape varieties.
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.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"Carlisle Winery & Vineyards","url":"https://www.carlislewinery.com/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"6301 Starr Road","addressLocality":"Windsor","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95492","addressCountry":"US"},"foundingDate":"1998"},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can you visit Carlisle Winery?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Carlisle does not publish a visiting program, and its website lists no tasting room or hours, as of September 2026. It sells through its mailing list. We can plan a day at wineries nearby that do host."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How can I buy Carlisle wine?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Through the mailing list, which sends offers in January and July; new names join a waiting list. Some wines are made in very small amounts and are sold only through the list."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns Carlisle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Founders Mike Officer and Kendall Carlisle, who started the winery in 1998. Their friend Jay Maddox joined in 2001."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where is Carlisle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Its physical address is on Starr Road in Windsor, in the Russian River Valley. The mailing address is in Santa Rosa."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is Carlisle known for?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Old-vine Zinfandel from vineyards planted between 1888 and 1934, including its own Carlisle Vineyard, a 1927 field blend with 43 identified grape varieties."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"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."}}]}]}