Alexander Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Pech Merle with a Private Chauffeur
A small family label named for France's painted caves, poured in a brick-walled lounge on Geyserville's main street, and a suggested six-hour day around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Bruce Lawton, an Ohio farm boy who made his first barrel of wine at Ohio State, and his wife Cheryl met in 1988. A trip in 2007 to the prehistoric painted caves of Pech Merle in the Lot River Valley of France gave them the name for their winery, and they brought their first vintage, 960 cases, to market in the middle of the recession.
Pech Merle makes small lots of single-vineyard wines from around Sonoma County and beyond, from Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir to Zinfandel and Viognier. Its most ambitious wine is LINEA, a solera-style Cabernet Sauvignon that blends seven vintages, beginning with the 2008 from Garden Creek Vineyard in Alexander Valley, and is allocated two bottles per household.
The tasting lounge is in a historic building on Geyserville's one-block main street, with exposed brick, eclectic upcycled decor and a covered, temperature-controlled patio out back. It is open into the early evening, so we often finish a north county day here: after lunch next door at Catelli's, it is a few steps to the patio, and the reserve flight can come with a pizza or charcuterie from Diavola down the street.
Tasting Fees
$15 for the Classic Patio Tasting of single-vineyard current releases. $25 for the VIP Reserve Patio Black Label Tasting of limited, off-menu wines.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
21001 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville
AVA
Alexander Valley
Visiting
Open daily 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations through the winery's online booking; we make them for you.
Known For
Single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, and the LINEA Cabernet
Founded
Late 2000s (named after a 2007 trip to France)
Good to Know
Wine club members taste free (the Classic tasting for up to four). For the reserve flight, the pizza or charcuterie from Diavola is arranged on request.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza or h2hotel.
10:00 · Pickup at Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza or h2hotel
Healdsburg Inn on the Plaza, on the plaza itself, and h2hotel, just off the Healdsburg plaza, are each about 20 minutes from Zialena, our first stop. Pech Merle opens at 11 and stays open until 6, so we save it for the end of the day. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:20 · Zialena
About 20 minutes away. The Mazzoni family has farmed this Geyserville land since 1931, and the fourth generation founded Zialena in 2012, fermenting estate Zinfandel and Cabernet in concrete tanks and eggs. The 1897 Tasting of five estate wines is poured on the patio over the family's 100-acre Mazzoni Vineyard, $40 and about 90 minutes. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; reservations appreciated.
12:05 · Dutcher Crossing
About 15 minutes away. Debra Mathy's family-run winery at the confluence of Dry Creek and Dutcher Creek, in a 1900s-style farmhouse winery whose breezeway frames the whole northern end of the valley; guests love the view from the patio, and Lady, the resident Labrador, greets most visitors. The winery does not publish its tasting fee; it is confirmed when we book. Reservations recommended; open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1:15 · Lunch at Catelli's
About 10 minutes away. Santi and Virginia Catelli opened this Geyserville restaurant in 1936, and their granddaughter, chef Domenica Catelli, carries on the family's handmade Italian cooking. Open Wednesday to Sunday from noon; we reserve the table for you. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:30 · Pech Merle
A few steps from lunch. The VIP Reserve Patio Black Label Tasting ($25) or the Classic Patio Tasting ($15) in the brick-walled lounge and on the patio.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Catelli's opens Wednesday to Sunday, so this day works on those days.
About $55 to $65 per person in tasting fees for Zialena and Pech Merle, plus the Dutcher Crossing fee, confirmed when we book, each paid directly to the 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 Pech Merle?
Reservations are made through the winery's online booking, and the lounge is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Pech Merle?
$15 per person for the Classic Patio Tasting and $25 for the VIP Reserve Patio Black Label Tasting, as of September 2026.
Why is the winery called Pech Merle?
Bruce and Cheryl Lawton named it after the prehistoric painted caves of Pech Merle in France's Lot River Valley, which they visited in 2007.
What is LINEA?
Pech Merle's solera-style Cabernet Sauvignon, blending seven vintages that begin with the 2008 from Garden Creek Vineyard in Alexander Valley. It is allocated two bottles per household.
Where is Pech Merle?
On Geyserville Avenue in downtown Geyserville, next to Catelli's and down the street from Diavola, about 15 minutes north of Healdsburg.
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.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"Pech Merle Winery","url":"https://www.pechmerlewinery.com/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"21001 Geyserville Avenue","addressLocality":"Geyserville","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95441","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Pech Merle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Reservations are made through the winery's online booking, and the lounge is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Pech Merle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"$15 per person for the Classic Patio Tasting and $25 for the VIP Reserve Patio Black Label Tasting, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why is the winery called Pech Merle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Bruce and Cheryl Lawton named it after the prehistoric painted caves of Pech Merle in France's Lot River Valley, which they visited in 2007."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is LINEA?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Pech Merle's solera-style Cabernet Sauvignon, blending seven vintages that begin with the 2008 from Garden Creek Vineyard in Alexander Valley. It is allocated two bottles per household."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where is Pech Merle?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"On Geyserville Avenue in downtown Geyserville, next to Catelli's and down the street from Diavola, about 15 minutes north of Healdsburg."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"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."}}]}]}