Dry Creek Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Fat Dragon with a Private Chauffeur
A replanted eastern-bench estate of Cabernet and Rhône varieties named for a 44-to-1 winner at Happy Valley. Fat Dragon 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
The story began in May 2008 in Hong Kong, where Dani, then founding executive director of wine for Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas and Macau and before that corporate wine director for the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group, slipped away from a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti tasting at the Happy Valley racecourse to place a bet. She put every Hong Kong dollar in her pocket on a 44-to-1 long shot named Fat Dragon, and he won. Back home, her husband, Mike, said it was the name for the winery they had always dreamed of.
In 2018 they found it: a 30-acre property on the eastern bench of Dry Creek Valley, in the same family for more than 50 years, with 16.5 acres of tired vineyard. They cleared it, drilled a new well, rebuilt the buildings and replanted to two clones of Cabernet Sauvignon with Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre on slopes of 10 to 30 degrees, cane-pruned and hand-harvested. The first crop came in 2022, and that first vintage was bottled in the spring of 2024.
Production is very small, and the only way to be sure of an allocation is to become a member. Fat Dragon is not open to the public, though Dani and Mike personally host members who are in the area, by request. The estate also rents two farmstay cottages in its Syrah block. For a day of small, hands-on estates, we take guests to wineries nearby that do open their doors.
Tasting Fees
Fat Dragon 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
4603 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg
AVA
Dry Creek Valley
Visiting
In the winery's words, "Fat Dragon is not open to the public." Members in the area can request a visit, hosted by one of the two proprietors.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mourvèdre and a GSM blend from Dry Creek Valley
Founded
2018 (property bought; first vintage 2022)
Good to Know
Join the list or become a member through the winery's website; allocations go to members. The two guest cottages on the estate can be booked online.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or Harmon Guest House.
10:00 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or Harmon Guest House
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, and Harmon Guest House, a boutique hotel just off the plaza, are each about 10 minutes from Wayfarer. Since Fat Dragon does not host visitors, this day takes you to three sought-after estates nearby that do. The day below runs a little over six hours; extra time is added by the hour.
10:10 · Wayfarer
About 10 minutes away. Cleo Pahlmeyer's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a remote Sonoma Coast vineyard that Helen Turley found and David Abreu planted, tasted at the winery in Healdsburg. The 90-minute Wayfarer Portfolio Tasting of seven wines is $75. By appointment, Thursday to Monday.
12:10 · Lunch at Capo Creek Ranch
About 30 minutes away. Dr. Mary Roy cooks and makes the wine at her family estate at the top of West Dry Creek Road. Taste of the Day is a four-course seasonal lunch with five estate wines, about 90 minutes, $95 plus tax and a 20% service charge, served in the gardens over the vineyards. Reservations required; no minors.
1:50 · Zichichi Family Vineyard
About 10 minutes away. A family estate on West Dry Creek Road with head-pruned Zinfandel and Petite Sirah vines planted in 1920. A host leads a behind-the-scenes walk through the winery, past the barrels and the harvest equipment, then pours four estate wines of your choosing in the rustic tasting room. The winery does not publish its tasting fee. By appointment, daily 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
3:15 · Centennial Mountain
About 25 minutes away. The Healdsburg tasting room of Kevin Harvey's Centennial Mountain, a 2,000-foot ridgetop vineyard of Nebbiolo and the Mount Etna grapes Carricante and Nerello Mascalese, from the team behind the acclaimed Rhys Vineyards. Flights of Centennial Mountain and Rhys wines are $30 to $50. Walk-ins welcome, reservations recommended.
4:15 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 4:20 p.m.
Three wineries and a winery lunch make a full day. Wayfarer hosts Thursday to Monday; we confirm Capo Creek's lunch and the Centennial Mountain tasting room's hours when we book. The day ends around 4:20.
About $200 to $220 per person at Wayfarer, Capo Creek (lunch, plus tax and service) and Centennial Mountain, paid directly to each winery; the Zichichi tasting fee is 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 Fat Dragon?
Fat Dragon is not open to the public, as of September 2026. Members who are in the area can request a visit, hosted personally by a proprietor. We can plan a day at estates nearby that do host.
How can I buy Fat Dragon wine?
Through membership: production is very small, and members receive spring and fall allocations. Some wines are also sold in the online shop.
Who owns Fat Dragon?
Dani and Mike, who bought the property in 2018. Dani was the founding executive director of wine for Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas and Macau.
Where is Fat Dragon?
At 4603 Dry Creek Road on the eastern bench of Dry Creek Valley, about 8 minutes from downtown Healdsburg.
Where does the name Fat Dragon come from?
A racehorse. In 2008 Dani bet on a 44-to-1 long shot called Fat Dragon at Happy Valley in Hong Kong, and he won.
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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