Sonoma Valley · Sonoma County
Visit En Garde Winery with a Private Chauffeur
Mountain Cabernet from Napa Valley and coastal Pinot Noir from a Hungarian-born winemaker, poured daily in a Kenwood tasting lounge, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Founder and winemaker Csaba Szakál grew up on his family's vineyards in Hungary, learning the craft beside his father, István, and grandfather, Béla, in four generations of winemaking. He left it behind for mathematics and economics and a career as a computer engineer, and in Silicon Valley he met his wife, Sandra Scott, who grew up in Sonoma wine country and introduced him to her grape-growing friends. After a few vintages made in their garage, Csaba and Sandy founded En Garde in 2007, and Csaba left his IT career to make wine full time.
Their first wine, a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from the top of Diamond Mountain, earned 95 points and a Cellar Selection from Wine Enthusiast. Csaba works closely with growers on high-elevation Cabernet from Napa Valley's mountain appellations, including Diamond Mountain, Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder and Howell Mountain, and on Pinot Noir from cool coastal sites in the Russian River Valley, Green Valley, the Sonoma Coast, the Petaluma Gap, Carneros and Anderson Valley. Robert Parker wrote that En Garde wines "show a fragrant complexity that seems something this winery obtains routinely." Touché is the top Cabernet.
The tasting lounge is on the Sonoma Highway in the village of Kenwood, and it is open every day, so it is an easy stop for walk-ins as well as reserved tastings. Guided flights cover current releases, library vintages and seasonal specials, and many new releases go first to members of the En Garde Club.
Tasting Fees
$45 per person for the standard tasting. $60 for the premium tasting, on request. The fee is waived with a three-bottle purchase.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
9077 Sonoma Highway, Suite A, Kenwood
AVA
Sonoma Valley
Visiting
The tasting lounge is open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Walk-ins welcome; reservations through Tock, the winery's request form or by phone.
Known For
Napa Valley mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, including Touché, and Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Founded
2007
Good to Know
The tasting fee is waived with the purchase of three bottles. Club members taste free. Many new releases are offered first to club members.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:50 a.m. from Gaige House in Glen Ellen, or 10:55 from Kenwood Inn & Spa.
10:50 · Pickup at Gaige House or Kenwood Inn & Spa
Kenwood Inn & Spa, an Italian-inspired inn among the vineyards of Kenwood, is about 5 minutes from En Garde, and Gaige House, a Japanese-inspired inn along Calabazas Creek in Glen Ellen, about 10. The lounge opens at 11, so we pick up at 10:50 in Glen Ellen and 10:55 in Kenwood. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · En Garde Winery
The standard tasting ($45), or the premium tasting ($60), about an hour.
12:05 · Lunch at Salt+Stone
About 5 minutes away. A steakhouse, seafood grill and oyster bar among the vineyards on the Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, with craft cocktails and tables overlooking a koi pond. Lunch is served Thursday to Tuesday. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:50 · Coursey Graves
About 30 minutes away. John and Denise Graves's estate about 1,500 feet up Bennett Mountain, where architect Charles Stinson set three buildings into the hillside above gardens and a pond. The Semi-Private Tasting is $75, about 60 minutes; the Private Vista Experience, with a charcuterie board and a dedicated host, is $110 for up to 6. By appointment only, seven days a week; 21 and over.
3:20 · Vaughn Duffy Wines
About 30 minutes away. Sara Vaughn and Matt Duffy's boutique Pinot Noir house, which began with two barrels in 2009 and now makes mostly vineyard-designate wines from growers such as Sangiacomo and Bacigalupi. The Purely Pinot Tasting is $35 and the Sonoma Sampler $25, waived with a three-bottle purchase. Open Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; walk-ins welcome, reservations strongly encouraged.
4:20 · Back to your hotel
Back in Kenwood by 4:25 p.m., or Glen Ellen by 4:30, less than six hours after pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. En Garde opens at 11, so this day starts later; Vaughn Duffy is open Thursday to Sunday and Salt+Stone serves lunch every day but Wednesday, so the day works Thursday to Sunday. Coursey Graves is by appointment, and we book it first.
About $155 to $205 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 En Garde?
No. Walk-ins are welcome every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and tastings can also be reserved. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at En Garde?
$45 per person for the standard tasting and $60 for the premium tasting, waived with a three-bottle purchase, as of September 2026.
Who owns En Garde Winery?
Founder and winemaker Csaba Szakál and his wife, Sandra Scott, who started the winery in 2007.
What is En Garde known for?
Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, including the Touché Cabernet, and Pinot Noir from cool coastal vineyards in Sonoma County.
Where is the En Garde tasting lounge?
At 9077 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood, in the heart of Sonoma Valley.
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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