Green Valley of Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Purple Pachyderm with a Private Chauffeur
Primus bassist Les Claypool's Pinot Noir label and its big-top tasting room on Gravenstein Highway, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Les Claypool, the founder, singer and bassist of Primus, and his wife, Chaney, moved to the Russian River Valley in 1994, when Gravenstein Highway was still lined with apple orchards. Neighbors in the wine trade kept bringing Pinot Noir to their barbecues, and in 2007, a celebrated harvest for Pinot in the valley, the Claypools came up with four tons of Russian River Valley grapes and made the first Purple Pachyderm. The name comes from his song "Southbound Pachyderm."
Les is involved in the process, but the wines are made by Ross Cobb, whose résumé runs through Hirsch, Flowers and Kamen and his own Cobb Wines; Katy Wilson of LaRue made them with him until 2018. The style has moved toward the Sonoma Coast, leaner and lower in alcohol, with fruit from small growers such as Rice-Spivak, Thorn Ridge and O'Connor alongside the Hurst and Moore vineyards in the Russian River Valley. There is also a Pinot Noir rosé and a non-vintage Pachyderm Champagne from the Marne Valley in France.
Pachyderm Station, the tasting room just south of Forestville, is the opposite of stuffy: a big-top saloon look inside, with a tasting bar and a corner lounge, and a shaded patio of Adirondack chairs and picnic tables outside. On weekends Les's Whamola Wieners come off the Weiner Wagon to go with the Pinot. Guests who know the music love it, and guests who don't still find serious wine in a relaxed room.
Tasting Fees
$35 for a tasting of five two-ounce pours, waived with the purchase of 2 bottles or with a wine club membership. Wine is also served by the bottle.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
5425 Highway 116 North, Sebastopol
AVA
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open Wednesday to Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed Tuesday and major holidays. Walk-ins welcome; reservations required for groups of 8 or more.
Known For
Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley Pinot Noir made by Ross Cobb, and Les Claypool
Founded
2007
Good to Know
Groups of 8 or more need a reservation and carry a 15% gratuity. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome on the patio, and children are welcome if they stay with you at your table. Whamola Wieners are served Thursday to Sunday.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 11:15 a.m. from a west county hotel such as The Sebastopol Inn or Farmhouse Inn.
11:15 · Pickup at The Sebastopol Inn or Farmhouse Inn
The Sebastopol Inn, in downtown Sebastopol, is about 15 minutes from Purple Pachyderm, and Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room country inn among the vineyards and redwoods of Forestville, about 10. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:30 · Purple Pachyderm
The five-pour tasting at Pachyderm Station ($35), on the patio or at the bar, about an hour.
12:45 · Lunch at Underwood Bar and Bistro
About 10 minutes away. A bistro in the village of Graton with red vinyl banquettes, a nickel-topped bar and an open-air patio. Lunch is served Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30 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.
2:10 · Pax Wines
About 15 minutes away. Pax and Pamela Mahle's urban winery at The Barlow in Sebastopol, with roll-up garage doors and vinyl on the turntable; Pax made his name with cool-climate Syrah, crushed by foot. The Private Tasting & Cellar Tour, at least eight wines with a cheese and salumi board and a walk through the working cellar, is $95 and about 90 minutes; 21 and over. Open daily from 11 a.m.; we reserve ahead.
3:55 · Singer Wine, Baker Lane Estate
About 15 minutes away. Stephen Singer, once wine director at Chez Panisse, farms Syrah, Viognier and Tuscan olive trees on his Baker Lane Estate in the Sebastopol hills. The Home & Estate Visit is a private tableside tasting with Stephen, with light fare and the estate olive oil ($85, 60 to 90 minutes); the Studio Visit adds his art studio and a library wine ($100). By appointment, arranged by email; 2-guest minimum.
4:55 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sebastopol by 5:10 p.m., or Forestville by 5:30 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Purple Pachyderm opens at 11:30, so this day starts later and ends around 5. It works Wednesday to Sunday, when Underwood serves lunch.
About $215 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries ($35 at Purple Pachyderm, $95 at Pax and $85 at Singer), 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 Purple Pachyderm?
No, walk-ins are welcome. Groups of 8 or more need a reservation. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Purple Pachyderm?
$35 per person for five two-ounce pours, waived with the purchase of 2 bottles or with a wine club membership, as of September 2026.
Does Les Claypool make the wine?
No. Les is involved, but the wines are made by Ross Cobb, one of the most sought-after Pinot Noir winemakers in Sonoma County.
Can I bring my dog or my kids to Purple Pachyderm?
Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio, and children are welcome as long as they stay with you at your table.
Where does the name Purple Pachyderm come from?
From Les Claypool's song "Southbound Pachyderm." Pachyderm means thick-skinned, as in elephants, hippos and rhinos.
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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