Los Carneros · Sonoma County
Visit Ram's Gate with a Private Chauffeur
A Howard Backen-designed estate at the entrance to Sonoma, known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Ram's Gate opened in 2011 on a hill where San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties. It is led by Jeff O'Neill, one of its four founders and CEO of the family-owned O'Neill Vintners & Distillers, who was named Wine Enthusiast's Person of the Year in 2022.
Joe Nielsen, formerly head winemaker at Donelan Family Wines, became director of winemaking in 2018 and general manager in 2021. He farms the 28-acre estate vineyard organically and also buys Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from famed sites such as Hyde and Gap's Crown, along with small family vineyards across Sonoma County.
Architect Howard Backen designed the winery, with interiors by Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, and it overlooks the estate vineyard. The seated tasting pours five wines from across the range, and executive chef Kim Cosway cooks a five-course pairing with ingredients from the estate's gardens, orchards and hives.
Tasting Fees
$60 for the Seated Wine Tasting of five wines, about 60 minutes. $185 for the seasonal five-course food and wine pairing, currently the Equinox Experience, about two hours.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma
AVA
Los Carneros
Visiting
Open Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Seated tastings and pairings are booked ahead online.
Known For
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the estate and famed Sonoma vineyards
Founded
2011
Good to Know
Guests of all ages are welcome; children count toward the reservation. Leashed dogs are welcome on the patio, and only service animals indoors. Pairings take up to 8 guests; larger parties book a private event.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Sonoma hotel such as MacArthur Place or The Lodge at Sonoma.
10:00 · Pickup at The Lodge at Sonoma or MacArthur Place
The Lodge at Sonoma, an Autograph Collection resort in town, is about 20 minutes from Ram's Gate, and MacArthur Place, a hotel and spa on a garden estate in Sonoma, about 25. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:25 · Ram's Gate
The Seated Wine Tasting of five wines, about 60 minutes ($60).
11:50 · The Donum Estate
About 25 minutes away. Single-vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay among nearly 70 monumental sculptures by artists such as Ai Weiwei and Louise Bourgeois. The Tasting Lounge is $80, about an hour. By reservation only, best booked 6 to 8 weeks ahead; 21 and over.
1:15 · Lunch at the girl & the fig
About 25 minutes away. French country cooking on the Sonoma Plaza, with a Rhône-focused wine list, cheese and charcuterie, and a garden patio. Open from 11:30 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:45 · Gundlach Bundschu
About 15 minutes away. Owned and farmed by the same family since 1858 at Rhinefarm, where Sonoma Valley, Carneros and Napa meet. The Rhinefarm Tasting is $45, and the Collector Tasting of five limited bottlings is $65, about 90 minutes. Reservations encouraged, especially on weekends; open daily from 11 a.m., last seating 4 p.m.
3:45 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sonoma by 3:55 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday to Monday, when Ram's Gate is open. The Donum Estate books up weeks ahead, so we reserve it as soon as you book.
About $185 to $205 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 Ram's Gate?
We recommend one. The seated tasting and the food pairing are booked ahead online. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Ram's Gate?
$60 per person for the Seated Wine Tasting and $185 for the seasonal five-course pairing, as of September 2026.
Can I bring children or dogs to Ram's Gate?
Yes. Guests of all ages are welcome, and children count toward your reservation. Leashed dogs can join you on the patio; only service animals are allowed indoors.
Who owns Ram's Gate?
Jeff O'Neill, one of its four founders and CEO of O'Neill Vintners & Distillers.
Who makes the wine at Ram's Gate?
Joe Nielsen, director of winemaking since 2018 and general manager since 2021.
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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