Knights Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Petrified Forest Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Estate Cabernet, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc from Totem Ridge Vineyard, planted in 1990 on volcanic slopes below Mount St. Helena. Petrified Forest Vineyards does not receive visitors; here is what to know, and a day at sought-after estates nearby that do host.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Petrified Forest Vineyards belongs to Ken and Susan Piters, two physicians who met in the early 1980s while training at the VA Medical Center in Long Beach. In 1986 they bought 74 acres of hillside in Knights Valley, once part of the historic Booth Ranch, and in 1990 planted their first 10 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot at 800 feet on the north-facing slopes of Mount St. Helena. The fruit was sold to Sonoma and Napa wineries before the family launched its own label in 2009.
Totem Ridge Vineyard sits at the far eastern edge of Knights Valley, toward Calistoga, and is planted over an ancient collapsed caldera; it is named for the historic totem poles near the original 19th-century farmhouse and barn. Winemaker Dan Fitzgerald, who has 20 years of experience in Napa, Sonoma, Europe and Australia, makes single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, and the winery holds its wines back rather than releasing them early.
There is no tasting room; the winery lists only a post office box in Calistoga, and it does not receive visitors. Current and library wines, from the 2021 Cabernet back to 2010, are sold online at $90 a bottle. The day below starts in Calistoga and takes you up into Knights Valley and along Tubbs Lane to estates that do host.
Tasting Fees
Petrified Forest Vineyards does not offer tastings. On the day below, the Knights Bridge Estate Experience is $150, the walk-in tasting at Chateau Montelena is $65, and Tamber Bey's courtyard tasting is $50 to $75.
Tasting fees as of October 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
Calistoga
AVA
Knights Valley
Visiting
Petrified Forest Vineyards has no tasting room and does not receive visitors; its wines are sold online.
Known For
Single-vineyard Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the estate Totem Ridge Vineyard
Founded
2009 (vineyard planted in 1990)
Good to Know
Buy current and library releases on the Acquire page at petrifiedforest.wine, or join the newsletter for new releases. Contact (707) 942-9434 or info@petrifiedforest.wine.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Calistoga hotel such as Indian Springs or Mount View Hotel.
10:00 · Pickup at Indian Springs or Mount View Hotel
Since Petrified Forest Vineyards does not host visitors, this day takes you to three sought-after estates nearby that do. Both hotels are on Lincoln Avenue in Calistoga, about 20 minutes from the first stop over the hill into Knights Valley. The day runs about six and a quarter hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:20 · Knights Bridge Winery
About 20 minutes away. An organically farmed hillside estate in Knights Valley, the same small appellation as Totem Ridge, with caves and a Backen-designed winery. The Knights Bridge Estate Experience is $150, prepaid, about two hours, with a vineyard, winery and cave tour and a seated tasting. By appointment only.
12:40 · Lunch at Sam's Social Club
About 20 minutes away. Seasonal cooking at Indian Springs in Calistoga, open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner; we confirm hours when we book. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:00 · Chateau Montelena
About 5 minutes away. The Calistoga estate whose Chardonnay beat the French in 1976. The walk-in tasting is $65, about 45 minutes, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; reserved tastings and tours are $75 to $125. Most fees are refunded with a qualifying purchase.
3:00 · Tamber Bey Vineyards
A few minutes away on Tubbs Lane. Wine tasting on a working horse ranch at the north end of Calistoga. The courtyard tasting is $50 to $75; we plan about an hour. Open daily by reservation.
4:00 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:15 p.m., about six and a quarter hours after pickup.
Chateau Montelena's walk-in tasting ends at 2:30 p.m., so lunch should not run long; we can reserve a tasting there instead. For a shorter day, skip Tamber Bey and be back by about 3:15 p.m.
About $265 to $290 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 you visit Petrified Forest Vineyards?
No. Petrified Forest Vineyards has no tasting room and does not receive visitors, as of October 2026. We can plan a day at nearby Knights Valley and Calistoga wineries that do.
How can I buy Petrified Forest Vineyards wine?
Online, on the Acquire page at petrifiedforest.wine, where current and library vintages are $90 a bottle.
Who owns Petrified Forest Vineyards?
Ken and Susan Piters, physicians who bought the Knights Valley property in 1986. Dan Fitzgerald is the winemaker.
Where is Totem Ridge Vineyard?
At the eastern edge of Knights Valley in Sonoma County, toward Calistoga, at about 800 feet on the slopes of Mount St. Helena.
What wines does Petrified Forest make?
Single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, all from Totem Ridge Vineyard.
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 833-915-2436.
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