Rockpile · Sonoma County
Visit Rockpile Vineyards with a Private Chauffeur
Wines from a mountaintop ranch above Lake Sonoma, poured in downtown Healdsburg, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Rockpile takes its name from Rockpile Ranch, founded in 1867 by Sonoma County Sheriff Tennessee Carter Bishop, who ran sheep on the rugged hills and planted grapes there around 1872. Those vines were abandoned, and wine grapes did not return until Rod and Cathy Park planted Cabernet Sauvignon in 1992. The Parks helped win the Rockpile appellation in 2002, and in late 2014 they sold the 800-acre ranch to Ken and Diane Wilson of Wilson Artisan Wines.
The vineyard sits at the northwestern end of Rockpile Road, high on the ridge above Lake Sonoma and Dry Creek Valley. About 60 acres are planted to Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, all sustainably farmed, with solar power running the farming. Every wine comes only from the Rockpile appellation.
Rockpile itself is remote and has no tasting rooms, so the wines are poured at the Rockpile Vineyards tasting lounge on Healdsburg Avenue in downtown Healdsburg. Tastings are seated, indoors or out, and center on single-vineyard Zinfandels and Bordeaux-style reds.
Tasting Fees
$25 for the Heritage flight of four wines, usually one Bordeaux-style red and three single-vineyard Zinfandels, waived with a $45 wine purchase per person. $40 for the seated Summit flight of six wines, by appointment.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
206 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
AVA
Rockpile
Visiting
Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., last seating at 4 p.m. Reservations are required to guarantee an experience; book online for 1 to 6 guests.
Known For
Single-vineyard Zinfandel and Bordeaux-style reds from the Rockpile appellation
Founded
Vineyard planted in 1992; Wilson family since 2014
Good to Know
All tastings are seated, indoors or outdoors. Groups larger than 6 must arrange their visit with the tasting room. No outside food; cheese and charcuterie boards by appointment.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:45 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona.
10:45 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, and The Madrona, a historic estate hotel on a secluded hillside in Healdsburg, are each about 5 minutes from Rockpile Vineyards, which opens at 11. The Rockpile ranch itself is a remote drive above Lake Sonoma, so the day tastes its wines in town and then heads out into the valleys. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Rockpile Vineyards
The seated Heritage flight of four Rockpile wines ($25), or the six-wine Summit flight ($40).
12:15 · Dry Creek Vineyard
About 15 minutes away. Founded in 1972 by David Stare as the first new winery in Dry Creek Valley after Prohibition, and known for Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. Guided tastings are $30 to $50 for up to 6 guests. Reservations strongly encouraged; open until 4:30 p.m.
1:20 · Lunch at Dry Creek General Store
About 5 minutes away. A country store since 1881 at the crossroads of Dry Creek Valley, with a deli for sandwiches, soups and salads, a front porch over the valley and a garden out back. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:40 · J Vineyards & Winery
About 20 minutes away. Judy Jordan's sparkling wine house, founded in 1986 and owned by E. & J. Gallo since 2015. The standing Signature Tasting of five wines, from sparkling to Pinot Noir, is $35 and takes walk-ins; the seated Legacy Lounge is $50 by appointment. Open Thursday to Monday.
3:40 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 3:50 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Optional: Seghesio Family Vineyards
Adds 30 minutes to an hour. A Zinfandel house a few blocks from the Healdsburg plaza. Walk-ins are welcome for the Bar Flight ($20, about 30 minutes); open daily until 4 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday to Monday, when J Vineyards & Winery is open, and starts at 10:45 because Rockpile opens at 11.
About $90 to $140 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 Rockpile Vineyards?
Reservations are required to guarantee a particular experience, and are recommended for the Heritage flight. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Rockpile Vineyards?
$25 per person for the Heritage flight, waived with a $45 wine purchase per person, and $40 for the Summit flight, as of September 2026.
Where do you taste Rockpile wines?
At the Rockpile Vineyards tasting lounge at 206 Healdsburg Avenue in downtown Healdsburg. The Rockpile appellation, on the ridges above Lake Sonoma, is remote and has no tasting rooms of its own.
What is the Rockpile appellation?
One of the smallest in the country, approved in 2002 in the far north of Sonoma County, above Lake Sonoma and the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley. Its steep hillside vineyards grow Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Who owns Rockpile Vineyards?
Ken and Diane Wilson of Wilson Artisan Wines, who bought the ranch from founders Rod and Cathy Park in late 2014.
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":"Rockpile Vineyards","url":"https://rockpilevineyards.com/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"206 Healdsburg Avenue","addressLocality":"Healdsburg","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95448","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Rockpile Vineyards?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Reservations are required to guarantee a particular experience, and are recommended for the Heritage flight. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Rockpile Vineyards?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"$25 per person for the Heritage flight, waived with a $45 wine purchase per person, and $40 for the Summit flight, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where do you taste Rockpile wines?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"At the Rockpile Vineyards tasting lounge at 206 Healdsburg Avenue in downtown Healdsburg. The Rockpile appellation, on the ridges above Lake Sonoma, is remote and has no tasting rooms of its own."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the Rockpile appellation?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"One of the smallest in the country, approved in 2002 in the far north of Sonoma County, above Lake Sonoma and the northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley. Its steep hillside vineyards grow Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns Rockpile Vineyards?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Ken and Diane Wilson of Wilson Artisan Wines, who bought the ranch from founders Rod and Cathy Park in late 2014."}},{"@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."}}]}]}