Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Pax Wines with a Private Chauffeur
Pax Mahle's foot-crushed Syrah and rare grapes at an urban winery with roll-up garage doors and records on the turntable, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Pax and Pamela Mahle moved to wine country in 1997, and after a few years of tasting and sourcing all over California, Pax found the vineyard he felt a real connection to, Alder Springs. It led to the launch of the Pax brand in 2000. The Mahles bet on the untapped potential of Syrah from cool-climate vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, and Pax quickly became known as one of California's leading Syrah producers. They remain the sole owners.
From day one Pax has bought only organically or sustainably farmed fruit. The grapes are crushed by foot and fermented with native yeasts, without unnatural additives. Alongside the Syrahs, Pax now makes rare varieties such as Vermentino, Pineau d'Aunis and Mondeuse Noire from sites up and down the California coast.
The winery and tasting room are in The Barlow, the outdoor market in downtown Sebastopol, with roll-up garage doors, indoor and outdoor seating and vinyl on the turntable. Table service lets you pick flights with local cheese, charcuterie and conservas, and the Private Tasting & Cellar Tour takes you through the working cellar; from mid-August into October you may see grapes arriving, pressing or foot-stomping. It is the most relaxed stop in this part of the valley, and guests who love Syrah should not miss it.
Tasting Fees
$95 for the Private Tasting & Cellar Tour, at least eight wines with a cheese and salumi board, about 90 minutes. $50 for Group Tastings of 6 or more, plus a $10 per person gratuity. Table Service flights are chosen from the menu, with a $5 refundable deposit to hold the table, about 45 minutes.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
6780 McKinley Street, Suite 170, Sebastopol
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open daily, Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome; reservations are recommended on weekends and required for the cellar tour.
Known For
Cool-climate Syrah, plus rare varieties such as Vermentino, Pineau d'Aunis and Mondeuse Noire
Founded
2000
Good to Know
Family and dog friendly; the Private Tasting & Cellar Tour is for guests 21 and over. A 20% gratuity applies to table service for 6 or more. Live music on Fridays, 5 to 7 p.m.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at about 10:45 a.m. from Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa or 10:55 from The Sebastopol Inn.
10:45 · Pickup at Hotel La Rose or The Sebastopol Inn
Hotel La Rose, a 1907 hotel in Santa Rosa's historic Railroad Square, is about 15 minutes from Pax, and The Sebastopol Inn, in downtown Sebastopol, about 5. Pax opens at 11, so we pick up at about 10:45 in Santa Rosa and 10:55 in Sebastopol. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Pax Wines
The Private Tasting & Cellar Tour, about 90 minutes ($95).
12:35 · Lunch at Handline
About 5 minutes away. A casual Sebastopol spot, open since 2016, with seasonal food from local farmers and fishermen, served mostly outdoors. Open daily from 11 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:55 · Furthermore Wines
About 15 minutes away. Bob Zeches and Chad Richard's Pinot Noir house on Gravenstein Highway, where Ross Cobb, formerly of Williams Selyem and Flowers, has made the wine since 2019; there is a courtyard bocce court in the shade of a giant sequoia. Tastings are $30, refunded with a two-bottle purchase. Open daily 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; we book ahead.
3:15 · Donelan Family Wines
About 20 minutes away. A working winery in a Santa Rosa warehouse, known for Syrah from its estate Obsidian Vineyard in Knights Valley as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Signature Wine Tasting tours the cellar and pours five wines over 75 minutes ($65); the 98+ Point Tasting of five top-scoring wines is $105. Reservation only.
4:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 4:40 p.m., or Sebastopol by 4:50, within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Pax opens at 11, so this day starts later and ends around 4:45.
About $190 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 Pax Wines?
Walk-ins are always welcome, but reservations are recommended on weekends, and the cellar tour is by reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Pax Wines?
$95 per person for the Private Tasting & Cellar Tour and $50 for Group Tastings of 6 or more, as of September 2026. Table Service flights are priced on the menu.
Can I bring children or my dog to Pax?
Yes. The tasting room welcomes families and dogs, though the cellar tour is for adults 21 and over.
What is Pax known for?
Syrah from cool-climate vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, crushed by foot and fermented with native yeasts, and rare varieties such as Pineau d'Aunis and Mondeuse Noire.
Where is Pax Wines?
At The Barlow in downtown Sebastopol, on McKinley Street.
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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