Sonoma Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Chateau St. Jean with a Private Chauffeur
A 1920s chateau, gardens and the home of Cinq Cépages, Wine Spectator's 1999 Wine of the Year, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Ernest and Maude Goff, a Michigan mining and lumber family, bought about 300 acres in the Valley of the Moon in 1916 and began building a summer home, the chateau, in 1920. In 1973 Ken Sheffield and the brothers Bob and Ed Merzoian, table grape growers from the San Joaquin Valley, bought 250 acres of the Goff estate and founded Chateau St. Jean, named for Jean Sheffield Merzoian, sister, sister-in-law and wife to the three owners. Foley Family Wines bought the winery from Treasury Wine Estates in December 2021.
Dick Arrowood, the first winemaker, made the first vintage in 1974, and the winery on the property was completed in 1980, designed to keep many small lots apart so vineyard-designated wines stayed pure. Chateau St. Jean became known for vineyard-designated Chardonnay and for Cinq Cépages, a blend of five Bordeaux varieties; the 1996 Cinq Cépages was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 1999, the first Sonoma wine so named. Lisa Evich is the winemaker today.
The Goffs' oak-paneled living room is now the reserve tasting room, and the visitor center and gardens that opened in 2000 hold a statue of Jean in the main courtyard. Tastings run from a walk-in bar flight to a seated flight of reserve wines in the chateau, with a patio over the vineyards, a redwood grove and bocce courts.
Tasting Fees
$30 for the Classic Bar Tasting of three wines, about 60 minutes. $50 for the seated Belle Terre Experience of five wines, about 70 minutes. $65 for the Chateau Experience of five reserve and winery-exclusive wines in the chateau, about 90 minutes. $70 for the Estate Picnic with a flight of estate wines, about 2 hours.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
8555 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood
AVA
Sonoma Valley
Visiting
Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last reservation at 3:30 p.m. Reservations encouraged; walk-ins welcome depending on availability.
Known For
Cinq Cépages and vineyard-designated Chardonnay
Founded
1973 (chateau built in the 1920s)
Good to Know
A family-friendly winery: children of all ages are welcome with an adult at all times. Leashed dogs welcome. No outside food or picnicking. Seated experiences take up to 6 guests; larger groups book through the winery's concierge.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Kenwood or Glen Ellen hotel such as Kenwood Inn & Spa or Gaige House.
10:00 · Pickup at Kenwood Inn & Spa or Gaige House
Kenwood Inn & Spa, an Italian-inspired inn among the vineyards of Kenwood, is about 5 minutes from Chateau St. Jean, and Gaige House, a Japanese-inspired inn along Calabazas Creek in Glen Ellen, about 15. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Chateau St. Jean
The Classic Bar Tasting of three wines, about 60 minutes ($30), or the seated Belle Terre Experience ($50).
11:30 · B.R. Cohn
About 15 minutes away. Founded in 1984 by Bruce Cohn, longtime manager of the Doobie Brothers, on his Olive Hill estate in Glen Ellen. The guided Wine Flight of four wines is about 90 minutes ($40). Reservations recommended; open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1:10 · Lunch at Glen Ellen Village Market
About 10 minutes away. The village grocery on Arnold Drive in Glen Ellen, with sandwiches made to order for lunch on the go. Open daily from 6 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 · Kunde Family Winery
About 15 minutes away. A Kenwood estate the Kunde family has farmed since 1904, with caves carved into volcanic rock. Walk-in tastings in the 202 Lounge are $25, and the seated Kinneybrook Tasting with cheese and charcuterie is $45. Walk-ins welcome; open daily 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Kenwood or Glen Ellen by 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Ledson
Adds about an hour. The castle winery on Highway 12, about 15 minutes from Kunde. Walk-ins are welcome when space allows for the standing Classic Wine Tasting of five wines ($45 plus tax); open daily until 5 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The fourth stop is there if the day allows.
About $95 to $135 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 Chateau St. Jean?
Reservations are encouraged, and walk-ins are welcome depending on availability. The last reservation of the day is at 3:30 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Chateau St. Jean?
$30 per person for the Classic Bar Tasting, $50 for the Belle Terre Experience and $65 for the Chateau Experience, as of September 2026.
Can children visit Chateau St. Jean?
Yes. Chateau St. Jean is a family-friendly winery, open to children of all ages as long as an adult is with them at all times. Leashed dogs are welcome too.
What is Cinq Cépages?
Chateau St. Jean's flagship red, a blend of five Bordeaux varieties. The 1996 vintage was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 1999, the first Sonoma wine to earn it.
Who owns Chateau St. Jean?
Foley Family Wines, since December 2021. The winery was founded in 1973 by Ken Sheffield and Bob and Ed Merzoian.
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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