Sonoma Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Gundlach Bundschu with a Private Chauffeur
The Bundschu family's Rhinefarm estate, farmed since 1858, with a hillside wine cave, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Jacob Gundlach, a Bavarian immigrant, bought 400 acres in Sonoma in 1858 and named it Rhinefarm. Charles Bundschu joined the business in 1868 and later married Gundlach's daughter Francisca. The 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed the family's San Francisco winery, and Prohibition closed the company in 1919. Jim Bundschu reopened the old stone winery with the 1973 vintage, and the family, now into its sixth generation, calls Gundlach Bundschu California's oldest family-owned winery.
Rhinefarm is certified organic and farmed with regenerative practices, with sheep, cows, goats and donkeys grazing the cover crops. Gundlach Bundschu was one of the first California wineries to bottle a varietal Merlot, first made in 1976, and each vintage of its Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon carries its own art label. The estate cave runs 430 feet into the hillside.
Seated tastings are in the winery courtyard or the historic barrel room, and a standing bar tasting in the original tasting room makes a quicker visit. Tours go into the cave or out through the vineyard in a vintage Swiss Army Pinzgauer, and the estate also hosts concerts. It was named the 2025 Sonoma Valley People's Choice Best Winery.
Tasting Fees
$30 for the Sonoma Original Bar Tasting, a 45-minute standing tasting of three wines. $45 for the seated Rhinefarm Tasting of estate wines. $65 for the 90-minute Rhinefarm Collector Tasting of five limited bottlings. $80 for the Cave & Vineyard Tour, and $85 to $105 for the seasonal Pinzgauer vineyard excursion, Friday to Sunday. Fees are plus tax.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
2000 Denmark Street, Sonoma
AVA
Sonoma Valley
Visiting
Open daily 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last seatings at 4 p.m. Reservations encouraged, especially Friday to Sunday; walk-ins have the best chance of a seated tasting on weekdays.
Known For
Rhinefarm estate Merlot, Pinot Noir and Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Founded
1858
Good to Know
Family and dog friendly: children are welcome at tastings at no charge, and leashed dogs at tastings but not on tours. Tours are for guests 13 and older. Seated tastings take parties of 8 or fewer; larger groups book a private tasting. No outside food.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:35 a.m. from a Sonoma hotel such as MacArthur Place or Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa.
10:35 · Pickup at MacArthur Place or Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
MacArthur Place, a hotel and spa set in six acres of gardens in Sonoma, is about 15 minutes from Gundlach Bundschu, and Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, a historic resort with its own geothermal mineral waters, about 25. The winery opens at 11 a.m. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Gundlach Bundschu
The seated Rhinefarm Tasting of estate wines in the courtyard or barrel room ($45).
12:15 · Sebastiani
About 15 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.
1:20 · Lunch at the girl & the fig
About 5 minutes away. Country food with a French passion on the Sonoma Plaza, with a garden patio, cheese and charcuterie platters and a Rhône-focused wine list. Open for lunch daily from 11:30 a.m., and from 10 a.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:40 · Buena Vista
About 15 minutes away. Agoston Haraszthy's winery of 1857, now a California Historical Landmark owned by Jean-Charles Boisset, with tastings in the 1862 Press House. The seated Current Release Tasting is $40 and the Private Reserve Tasting $60. Book online; open daily until 5 p.m.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sonoma by 4:00 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Gundlach Bundschu opens at 11 a.m., so pickup is at 10:35.
About $110 to $130 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 Gundlach Bundschu?
Reservations are encouraged, especially Friday to Sunday, the busiest days. Walk-ins are welcome, with the best chance of a seated tasting on weekdays. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Gundlach Bundschu?
$45 per person for the Rhinefarm Tasting, $30 for the standing Sonoma Original Bar Tasting and $65 for the Rhinefarm Collector Tasting, plus tax, as of September 2026.
Can I bring children and dogs to Gundlach Bundschu?
Yes. Children are welcome at tastings with no tasting fee, and leashed dogs are welcome at tastings but not on tours. Tours are for guests 13 and older.
How old is Gundlach Bundschu?
Jacob Gundlach founded it in 1858. The Bundschu family still owns and farms the Rhinefarm estate and calls it California's oldest family-owned winery.
What is Gundlach Bundschu known for?
Estate wines from Rhinefarm, including Merlot, which it was one of the first California wineries to bottle as a varietal, and the Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. It is also known for concerts and a relaxed tasting room.
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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