Los Carneros · Sonoma County
Visit Cline Family Cellars with a Private Chauffeur
A family-run Carneros ranch with spring-fed ponds, Rhône-style wines and old-vine Zinfandel, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Fred Cline learned winemaking from his grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi, on the family ranch in Contra Costa County. After UC Davis he founded Cline Cellars with his wife, Nancy, in Oakley in 1982, making wine from Mourvèdre, Zinfandel and Carignane vines planted as early as the 1880s. In 1989 the family moved the winery to a 350-acre former horse farm in Sonoma-Carneros, where they raised their seven children, and four of the seven now guide the winery day to day.
Fred was one of the original Rhône Rangers who introduced Californians to Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. The family farms seven vineyards from the Petaluma Gap to Tehama County, including the dry-farmed Bridgehead and Big Break vineyards in Oakley, and has been certified California Sustainable and Sonoma County Sustainable since 2018. Winemakers Tom Gendall and Katie Hoggins favor wild yeast fermentations.
The tasting room is in the farmhouse built by Julius Poppe, for whom the estate vineyard is named. Seated tastings are outdoors, on a heated covered patio in winter, and the grounds have spring-fed ponds, picnic tables, garden cabanas and two Sicilian donkeys, Fancy and Pudding. The family's sister winery, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, is also in Carneros.
Tasting Fees
$35 for the Outdoor Seated Reserve Tasting of five wines, 1 hour for up to 8. $25 for the Classic Sonoma Bar Tasting of four wines, a 1-hour standing tasting for up to 4. A 2-bottle purchase waives one tasting fee. $35 plus tax and gratuity for the Large Group Tasting of 9 to 20, and $30 for a private garden cabana, May to October, with wine by the bottle.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma
AVA
Los Carneros
Visiting
Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended for seated tastings, especially on weekends; walk-ins welcome at the tasting bar.
Known For
Rhône-style wines, old-vine Zinfandel and Mourvèdre from Contra Costa County, and Carneros estate wines
Founded
1982 (in Carneros since 1989)
Good to Know
Family friendly: children are welcome under supervision, and well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome in outdoor spaces. Seated tastings take up to 8; larger groups book a Large Group Tasting or Pondside Picnic. Cancellations with less than 2 days' notice carry a $10 per person fee.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:40 a.m. from a Sonoma hotel such as The Lodge at Sonoma or MacArthur Place.
10:40 · Pickup at The Lodge at Sonoma or MacArthur Place
The Lodge at Sonoma, an Autograph Collection resort in town, is about 15 minutes from Cline, and MacArthur Place, a hotel and spa on a garden estate in Sonoma, about 20. Cline opens at 11 a.m. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Cline Family Cellars
The Outdoor Seated Reserve Tasting of five wines, 1 hour ($35).
12:20 · Domaine Carneros
About 20 minutes away. The sparkling wine château the Taittinger family of Champagne founded in 1987, just over the county line in Napa Carneros. Seated flights of four wines start at $45, about an hour. Reservations required, 21 and over; open daily from 10 a.m.
1:25 · Lunch at Boon Fly Café
About 5 minutes away. A roadhouse in a red barn on the Carneros Highway, named for a Carneros pioneer and known for its donuts and fried chicken. Open daily for brunch from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; reservations are for dinner only. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:45 · Sebastiani
About 20 minutes away. Founded in 1904 by Samuele Sebastiani a few blocks from the Sonoma Plaza, and now part of Foley Family Wines. The Family Table tasting of five wines at the bar is $25. Walk-ins always welcome; open daily.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sonoma by 3:50 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Cline opens at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. on Saturday), so pickup is at 10:40.
About $105 to $120 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 Cline Family Cellars?
Reservations are recommended for the seated tasting, especially on weekends, and walk-ins are welcome at the tasting bar. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Cline Family Cellars?
$35 per person for the Outdoor Seated Reserve Tasting and $25 for the Classic Sonoma Bar Tasting, as of September 2026. A 2-bottle purchase waives one tasting fee.
Can I bring children and dogs to Cline?
Yes. Cline is family friendly: children are welcome under supervision, and well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome in the outdoor spaces.
Who owns Cline Family Cellars?
The Cline family. Fred and Nancy Cline founded the winery in 1982, and four of their seven children now guide it day to day.
What is Cline known for?
Rhône varieties such as Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, which Fred Cline helped introduce as one of the Rhône Rangers, and Zinfandel and Mourvèdre from Contra Costa County vines planted as early as the 1880s.
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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