Bennett Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Frostwatch with a Private Chauffeur
A small family winery pouring Bennett Valley Sémillon and Pinot Noir by appointment, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Brett Raven and Diane Kleinecke met at UC Davis in the mid-1980s and worked in San Francisco's Financial District, Brett as an attorney, before buying their Bennett Valley property in 1995. Brett planted the vineyard with veteran consultant Bob Dempel and learned winemaking at Alderbrook, Matanzas Creek and Ramey Wine Cellars. Frostwatch made its first vintage in 2002, and Brett left Ramey in 2009 to work on it full time.
The vineyard sits below Bennett Peak, where cold air settles on spring nights, and the name comes from the frost alarm that wakes Brett to protect the budding vines. All the fruit comes from the estate: Swan clone Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sémillon, and Kismet, a trademarked blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon from vines first mistaken for Chardonnay. Most fermentations use native yeasts, and the wines are made at the Vinify custom-crush winery in Santa Rosa.
Frostwatch is a small, family-run label, and a visit is a tasting with the owners arranged in advance, usually at the winery in Santa Rosa and occasionally at the vineyard. The wines are sold mostly through the mailing list, which offers pre-release pricing without fees or automatic shipments.
Tasting Fees
Frostwatch does not publish a tasting fee; it is confirmed when the appointment is made.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
5560 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa
AVA
Bennett Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, with advance notice, arranged by phone or email. Tastings are at the winery in Santa Rosa, and occasionally at the vineyard.
Known For
Bennett Valley Sémillon, the Kismet white blend and Pinot Noir
Founded
2002 (first vintage; vineyard bought in 1995)
Good to Know
A small family operation, so visits need advance notice. The mailing list has no fees or minimum purchases.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Santa Rosa hotel such as Hotel La Rose or Flamingo Resort.
10:00 · Pickup at Hotel La Rose or Flamingo Resort
Hotel La Rose, a 1907 hotel in Santa Rosa's historic Railroad Square, is about 10 minutes from the Frostwatch winery in Santa Rosa, and Flamingo Resort, a resort with a pool and spa on Santa Rosa's east side, about 15. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Frostwatch
A tasting by appointment with the owners, with wines from their Bennett Valley vineyard.
11:30 · Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate
About 15 minutes away. The Sonoma estate of Kendall-Jackson, established by Jess Jackson in 1982, with large gardens and bocce courts. The guided Estate Wine Tasting is $35, and the casual Taste of K-J is $20. Reservations highly encouraged; open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
12:50 · Lunch at Bird & The Bottle
About 20 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.
2:20 · Matanzas Creek
About 20 minutes away. Founded in 1977 with Merry Edwards as its first winemaker, and known for Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and three acres of lavender. The Estate Tasting of five wines is $35. Reservations required; open daily until 4:30 p.m.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Frostwatch tastings are by appointment with the owners, usually at the winery in Santa Rosa and occasionally at the vineyard, so we confirm the place and time when we book.
About $70 to $90 per person in tasting fees for Kendall-Jackson and Matanzas Creek, paid directly to each winery, plus the Frostwatch tasting fee, confirmed with the appointment.
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 an appointment at Frostwatch?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment only, with advance notice. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Frostwatch?
Frostwatch does not publish a tasting fee; it is confirmed when the appointment is made, as of September 2026.
Where do Frostwatch tastings take place?
Usually at the winery in Santa Rosa, where the wines are made, and occasionally at the vineyard on Bennett Valley Road.
Who owns Frostwatch?
Brett Raven and Diane Kleinecke, who bought the Bennett Valley property in 1995. Brett makes the wine.
What is Frostwatch known for?
Estate wines from Bennett Valley, especially Sémillon, the Kismet blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and Swan clone Pinot Noir.
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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