Knights Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Peter Michael Winery with a Private Chauffeur
A family mountain estate on the slopes of Mount St. Helena, open for private tours by request, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Peter Michael, a British engineer and entrepreneur born in 1938, found the Knights Valley ranch in 1982 and established his winery there in 1987. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1989. His son Paul, who helped plant the first vines of the Les Pavots vineyard in 1989, now leads the winery with his wife, Emily, under the family's promise to keep it family-owned for 100 years.
The ranch covers nearly 750 acres on the western face of Mount St. Helena, with vineyards climbing to about 2,000 feet and much of the land kept as wildlife corridor. Every wine is estate grown and single vineyard, from the Knights Valley ranch, the Seaview Estate on the Sonoma Coast and an Oakville estate in Napa Valley: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Visits are private, two-hour tours and tastings at the Knights Valley ranch, hosted for guests on the winery's mailing list. The wines, including the Chardonnays and Les Pavots from the Knights Valley vineyard of that name, are sold mostly through the allocation list, with limited amounts at select restaurants and retailers.
Tasting Fees
$150 per person for the two-hour private tour and tasting, for up to 6 guests. Part of each fee is donated to charity.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
12400 Ida Clayton Road, Calistoga
AVA
Knights Valley
Visiting
By appointment only, on select days and times. Visits are for members of the winery's mailing list; join the waitlist online to request a date, and the hospitality team confirms.
Known For
Estate Chardonnay and Les Pavots from Knights Valley
Founded
1987 (Knights Valley ranch since 1982)
Good to Know
Each tour and tasting is private, for up to 6 guests, and lasts about two hours. The ranch is on Highway 128, about 15 minutes from downtown Calistoga.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 9:45 a.m. from a Calistoga hotel such as Solage or Calistoga Motor Lodge.
9:45 · Pickup at Solage or Calistoga Motor Lodge
Solage, an Auberge resort on the Silverado Trail, and Calistoga Motor Lodge, a 1940s motor lodge with geothermal pools, are each about 15 minutes from Peter Michael, over the hill from Calistoga on Highway 128. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:00 · Peter Michael
The private tour and tasting, about two hours ($150), for up to 6 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 · Frank Family Vineyards
About 10 minutes away. A Calistoga favorite on tree-lined Larkmead Lane, pouring in a 1930s Craftsman house and voted Best Napa Winery by the Bay Area A-List eight years in a row. The Frank Family Estate Tasting is $60. Reservations required, 21 and over; open daily until 5 p.m.
3:20 · Back to your hotel
Back in Calistoga by 3:30 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Peter Michael sets its tour days and times and confirms each request, so we build the rest of the day around the time it offers.
About $275 to $315 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
Can I visit Peter Michael Winery?
Yes, by appointment on select days. Visits are for members of the winery's mailing list, so join the waitlist online and submit a reservation request; the hospitality team confirms the date. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the other reservations for the day.
How much is a tasting at Peter Michael Winery?
$150 per person for the two-hour private tour and tasting, part of which is donated to charity, as of September 2026.
Is Peter Michael Winery in Napa or Sonoma?
Sonoma County. The Knights Valley ranch is on Highway 128, halfway between Calistoga and Healdsburg and about 15 minutes from downtown Calistoga.
How can I buy Peter Michael wine?
Mostly through the winery's allocation list, which you join from the waitlist, with limited amounts at select restaurants and retailers.
Who owns Peter Michael Winery?
The Michael family, since 1982. Sir Peter Michael founded it, and his son Paul and daughter-in-law Emily lead it today.
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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