Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Krutz Family Cellars with a Private Chauffeur
Three Mississippi brothers making Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet and Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir, with tastings in the cellar itself, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
About thirty years ago Fred and Cherry Krutz discovered wine at The Cheese Shop, a wine and cheese store in Carmel, and two decades later their oldest son, Patrick, was working at the same store. Patrick, born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, and an Ole Miss graduate, started Krutz Family Cellars as a garage brand in Monterey County in 2003, making sixty cases for family and friends. Demand changed the plan, and in 2011 his brothers, Bryan and Cole, joined him as owners; Cole is the winemaker, and the winery is now in Sonoma County. A magnolia, the state flower and tree of Mississippi, has been on every bottle since 2003.
Krutz makes Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from its own block of Beckstoffer Georges III, the vineyard Georges de Latour bought in 1928 as Beaulieu Vineyard No. 3 and where André Tchelistcheff's Rutherford Cabernets came from; the first vintage, 2016, earned 96+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and 96 from Jeb Dunnuck. Earlier, its Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernets from 2004 to 2015 earned many scores of 93 to 97 points and a Wine Enthusiast cover. The Pinot Noir comes from the Pisoni and Franscioni families' Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, and the Chardonnay from Martinelli Road in the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley.
The tasting room and the production winery share one roof in Santa Rosa, so you taste where the wine is made, and Cole is happy to host guests for a tasting and tour. Visits are by appointment, arranged by email, and they suit guests who like Napa Cabernet and want to meet the family behind it.
Tasting Fees
Krutz does not publish its tasting fee. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
3354 Coffey Lane, Suite A, Santa Rosa
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Tastings by appointment only, scheduled by email. The winery does not publish its days and times, so we confirm them when we book.
Known For
Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon and Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir
Founded
2003
Good to Know
The tasting room and production facility are under one roof, in a business park on Coffey Lane in north Santa Rosa.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:50 a.m. from a Santa Rosa hotel such as Hotel E or Vinarosa.
9:50 · Pickup at Hotel E or Vinarosa
Hotel E, a restored 1906 Beaux-Arts landmark on the square in downtown Santa Rosa, and Vinarosa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, are each about 10 minutes from Krutz Family Cellars. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Krutz Family Cellars
A tasting and tour of the winery with the family, about an hour (fee confirmed when we book).
11:10 · Ancient Oak Cellars
About 10 minutes away. Melissa Moholt-Siebert's family winery on the Siebert Ranch in the eastern hills of the Russian River Valley, replanted after the 2017 Tubbs Fire; her husband, architect and grapegrower Ken Moholt-Siebert, is building a replica of the Fountaingrove Round Barn on the farm. Small-lot, native-yeast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Appointments are very limited, Thursday to Saturday; the fee is confirmed when we book.
12:20 · Lunch at Bird & The Bottle
About 10 minutes away. Chef Mark Stark's modern tavern on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa, with plates to share from the American South, Asia and Jewish comfort food, and two patios; we reserve the table for you. 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.
2:00 · Kanzler Vineyards
About 30 minutes away. The Kanzler family's 20-acre Pinot Noir estate in the Sebastopol Hills, planted in 1996 on an old apple orchard; Kosta Browne has made a Kanzler vineyard-designate wine every year since 2002. The private, seated tasting starts with the Estate Chardonnay and a walk to the vines, then a flight of Pinot Noirs ($75, about 90 minutes, up to 8 guests). By appointment.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 4:05 p.m., about six hours after pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday to Saturday, when Ancient Oak takes appointments; Krutz and Kanzler set their times when we book, and Kanzler's tasting runs about 90 minutes.
About $75 per person in tasting fees for Kanzler, paid directly to the winery; the Krutz and Ancient Oak fees are 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
Do I need a reservation at Krutz Family Cellars?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment only, scheduled by email. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Krutz Family Cellars?
Krutz does not publish its tasting fee, so tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation.
Who owns Krutz Family Cellars?
Brothers Patrick, Bryan and Cole Krutz, from Jackson, Mississippi. Patrick founded it in 2003, and Cole is the winemaker.
What is Krutz known for?
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Georges III, whose first vintage, 2016, earned 96+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, and Pinot Noir from Soberanes Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands.
Why is there a magnolia on the label?
The magnolia is Mississippi's state flower and tree, a nod to the Krutz family's southern roots; it has been on every bottle since 2003.
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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