Sonoma Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Obsidian Wine Co. with a Private Chauffeur
Mountain Cabernet from a ridge of black volcanic glass and Chardonnay from a vineyard on the bay, poured at a relaxed Base Camp off the Sonoma Plaza, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Obsidian grew out of a family vineyard. In 1973 Nicholas Molnar planted Poseidon Vineyard at the southern edge of Napa Carneros, on old grazing land then thought too cool to ripen wine grapes, and for three decades grew Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for top sparkling wine houses. His sons, Peter and Arpad Molnar, teamed up with winemaker Michael Terrien, who studied enology at UC Davis and made wine at Acacia and Hanzell. In 1998 they found an abandoned walnut orchard about half a mile above sea level in the Mayacamas Mountains of Lake County, planted it in 1999 and 2000, and made their first 98 cases of Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon in 2002.
Once they planted, they found they were farming on a volcano, on a ridge of solid black obsidian glass, and the altitude, the extreme climate and the volcanic soil give the Cabernet its character. Poseidon, down at the edge of the bay, is the other home vineyard, and the winery calls it the only vineyard you can sail to in Napa. Alex Beloz has made the wines for more than a decade, using barrels of Tokaj oak from Kádár Hungary, the cooperage the Molnars have owned for nearly three decades. The winery runs on solar power, and both vineyards are Certified California Sustainable.
Base Camp, the tasting room a short walk from the Sonoma Plaza, is meant as a gathering place rather than a formal salon, the spot where the team plans its Obsidian Adventures, excursions into the vineyards and wild country behind the wines. It is open every day, with Friday evenings until 8, and it makes an easy, relaxed first stop before we head out of town.
Tasting Fees
Tastings at Base Camp are $30 and $50 per person.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
441 First Street West, Sonoma
AVA
Sonoma Valley
Visiting
Open daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday noon to 8 p.m. Appointments are recommended on weekends and for groups of more than 4.
Known For
Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon from a volcanic mountain vineyard, and Poseidon Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Founded
2002 (first Obsidian Ridge vintage; Poseidon Vineyard planted in 1973)
Good to Know
Groups of more than 4 should book ahead. Obsidian Adventures, guided excursions into the vineyards and nature, are listed on the winery's calendar or planned privately, and members get first access to small bottlings and events. Policies on children and pets are not published, so we ask when we book.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:50 a.m. from a Sonoma hotel such as MacArthur Place or Ledson Hotel.
10:50 · Pickup at MacArthur Place or Ledson Hotel
MacArthur Place, a few blocks south of the plaza, and Ledson Hotel, on the east side of the Sonoma Plaza, are each about 5 minutes from Base Camp. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Obsidian Wine Co.
A tasting at Base Camp ($30 or $50), right when the doors open, about an hour.
12:10 · Lunch at Cafe La Haye
About 5 minutes away. A small restaurant on East Napa Street, a few steps from the Sonoma Plaza, serving lunch Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations open a month ahead, for parties of up to 6, and we book the table with the rest of the day. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:20 · Bartholomew Estate Winery
About 10 minutes away. Owned by the nonprofit Bartholomew Foundation, inside a 375-acre park on the land where Agoston Haraszthy began making wine in 1857, with tastings in an art gallery or, in season, outdoors on the Oak Knoll over the vineyards. The seated Wine Tasting Flight is $45 to $55, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Reservations recommended; open daily 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
3:00 · Dunstan Wines
About 25 minutes away. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah from the Durell Vineyard, planted in 1982 where Sonoma Valley, the Sonoma Coast and Carneros meet, and a source for wineries such as Kistler and Patz & Hall. The Ranch House Experience, a tasting of current releases with a tour of the vineyard, is $125, about 90 minutes, for 2 to 6 guests. Seatings at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; prepaid reservations.
4:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sonoma by 4:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a relaxed day. Cafe La Haye serves lunch Tuesday to Saturday and Obsidian opens at noon on Fridays, so this day works Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Dunstan's 3 p.m. seating is prepaid when we book.
About $200 to $230 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 Obsidian Wine Co.?
Appointments are recommended on weekends and for groups of more than 4; at other times you can usually walk in. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Obsidian Wine Co.?
Tastings at Base Camp are $30 and $50 per person, as of September 2026.
Where are Obsidian's vineyards?
Obsidian Ridge is high in the Mayacamas Mountains of Lake County, on a ridge of volcanic obsidian, and Poseidon Vineyard is at the southern edge of Napa Carneros. The tasting room, Base Camp, is at 441 First Street West in Sonoma.
Who owns Obsidian Wine Co.?
Its founders: brothers Arpad and Peter Molnar, whose father planted Poseidon Vineyard in 1973, and winemaker Michael Terrien. Alex Beloz is the winemaker today.
Why are Obsidian wines aged in Hungarian oak?
The Molnar family owns Kádár Hungary, a cooperage that makes barrels from oak of the Tokaj region, and the winery uses its barrels.
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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