Knights Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Knights Bridge with a Private Chauffeur
An organically farmed hillside estate with caves and a Backen-designed winery in Knights Valley, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Brothers Jim and Essel Bailey, who grew up in families of Michigan and Tennessee farmers, bought vineyard land in Knights Valley in 2006 with family and friends and founded Knights Bridge. Jim Bailey had founded the investment firm Cambridge Associates in 1973. He and his wife, Kelley Bailey, who spent years at Jackson Family Wines and led its Spire Collection from 2011, have since added neighboring parcels and built a new winery.
The estate climbs from about 400 to 1,000 feet on steep slopes with four soil types, among them rhyolitic tuff, a volcanic ash nearly four million years old. It is organically farmed and planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, plus Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc for the Draco Dormiere blend. Each block is fermented separately, and Derek Baljeu, winemaker since 2019, uses concrete fermenters and 500-liter puncheons.
The winery and tasting room, designed by Howard Backen and John Taft of Backen & Gillam, are set into the hillside with views across Knights Valley. A visit is a guided tour of the vineyard, winery and caves, then a seated tasting of current releases or library wines. The wines are made in limited amounts and sold mostly to members and the mailing list.
Tasting Fees
$150 per person, prepaid, for the Knights Bridge Estate Experience: a guided tour of the estate vineyard, winery and caves, then a seated tasting of current releases or library wines, about two hours.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
17134 Spencer Lane, Calistoga
AVA
Knights Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, prepaid and booked online. Allow about two hours. Changes or cancellations at least 24 hours ahead receive a full refund.
Known For
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and the Draco Dormiere Bordeaux-style blend
Founded
2006
Good to Know
The Estate Experience is private, for 1 to 4 guests. The winery cannot host parties of more than 10, and no pets other than service dogs. The estate is off Highway 128, about 15 minutes from downtown Calistoga.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:40 a.m. from a Calistoga hotel such as Indian Springs or Four Seasons Napa Valley.
9:40 · Pickup at Indian Springs or Four Seasons Napa Valley
Indian Springs, the Calistoga hot springs resort founded by Samuel Brannan, is about 15 minutes from Knights Bridge, and Four Seasons Napa Valley, a resort set in its own vineyard on the Silverado Trail, about 20, over the hill on Highway 128 into Knights Valley. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Knights Bridge
The Knights Bridge Estate Experience, a private tour and seated tasting of about two hours ($150), for 1 to 4 guests.
12:15 · Chateau Montelena
About 15 minutes away. The Calistoga château whose 1973 Chardonnay won the white wine tasting at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. A Taste of Montelena is about 45 minutes ($65), refundable with a qualifying purchase. Walk-ins welcome daily from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; 21 and over.
1:05 · Lunch at Sam's Social Club
About 5 minutes away. The restaurant at Indian Springs in Calistoga, named for resort founder Samuel Brannan, with seasonal American cooking and outdoor tables. Lunch is served daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.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 · Tank Garage Winery
About 5 minutes away. Small-lot, one-off blends poured in a restored 1930s gas station on Foothill Boulevard. The Lubrication Tasting of four wines is $40, 50 to 65 minutes, for 1 to 6 guests, and a Family Tasting welcomes guests under 21 with an adult. Book ahead, as walk-in space is limited; open from 11 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.
3:25 · Back to your hotel
Back in Calistoga by 3:35 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. The Knights Bridge tour and tasting takes about two hours, so the day starts at 9:40 a.m. and the other two stops are shorter tastings in Calistoga.
About $255 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 Knights Bridge?
Yes. Every visit is by appointment and prepaid, and changes need at least 24 hours' notice for a full refund. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Knights Bridge?
$150 per person for the Knights Bridge Estate Experience, a private tour and seated tasting of about two hours, as of September 2026.
Is Knights Bridge in Napa or Sonoma?
Sonoma County. The estate is in Knights Valley, Sonoma's easternmost appellation, on the Napa County line about 15 minutes from downtown Calistoga.
Who owns Knights Bridge?
The Bailey family and friends who founded it in 2006. Founder Jim Bailey and co-proprietor Kelley Bailey lead it today.
Who makes the wine at Knights Bridge?
Derek Baljeu, a UC Davis graduate in viticulture and enology, has been winemaker since 2019.
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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