West Sonoma Coast · Sonoma County
Visit Senses Wines with a Private Chauffeur
Three Occidental childhood friends, among them actor Max Thieriot, and their family vineyards near the coast, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around them.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Senses is the project of three friends who grew up in Occidental: Christopher Strieter, Max Thieriot and Myles Lawrence-Briggs. They founded it in 2011 with Thomas Rivers Brown, one of California's most acclaimed winemakers, to make wine from vineyards their families had planted. Christopher, who was once business manager at Williams Selyem, runs the company day to day; Max, the actor known for Bates Motel, SEAL Team and Fire Country, handles the brand.
The estate vineyards are just outside Occidental. Max's parents, Cameron and Bridgit Thieriot, bought the B.A. Thieriot property in 1988, and the late Warren Dutton planted its first vines in 1989; its grapes have gone to Landmark, Williams Selyem, Littorai and Rivers-Marie. Myles's parents bought Hillcrest the same year, home to the first Chardonnay planting in the West Sonoma Coast and now replanted to Pinot Noir and bottled as Day One. Max and his wife, Lexi, planted Bodega Thieriot in 2016, five miles from the Pacific. Senses also buys from sites such as Charles Heintz, Dutton Jentoft and Kanzler, with native yeast fermentation and a hands-off approach in the cellar.
There is no tasting room to walk into. Visits are arranged by email, ideally three weeks ahead, and availability is limited, so this is one to plan early. For anyone who loves cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, a visit in the hills where the founders grew up is a rare way into a label most people only find on restaurant lists.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
Address given when booking, Occidental
AVA
West Sonoma Coast
Visiting
By inquiry only, by email to the winery, ideally at least three weeks before your date; availability is limited. We make the request on your behalf.
Known For
West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the founders' family vineyards, made by Thomas Rivers Brown
Founded
2011
Good to Know
Visits are limited, so book early. The wines are sold through the mailing list and at select restaurants and wine shops; group size, age and pet policies are not published, and we confirm them when we book.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:15 a.m. from a hotel such as The Sebastopol Inn or Farmhouse Inn.
10:15 · Pickup at The Sebastopol Inn or Farmhouse Inn
The Sebastopol Inn, in downtown Sebastopol, is about 25 minutes from Occidental, and Farmhouse Inn, a 25-room country inn among the vineyards and redwoods of Forestville, about 35, so Farmhouse guests are picked up a little earlier. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:45 · Senses Wines
A visit arranged by inquiry, with the address given when we book; we plan about 75 minutes and confirm the fee then.
12:20 · Lunch at Underwood Bar and Bistro
About 20 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.
1:40 · William Henry Wineworks
About 10 minutes away. A cooperative winemaking studio on Gravenstein Highway where winemaker Mark Ray and a few independent producers make small lots of Russian River Valley and Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. Tastings at the Winemakers Studio are by reservation, Thursday to Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment Monday to Wednesday, and the winemaker can join your party; the fee is confirmed when we book.
3:00 · Lynmar Estate
About 10 minutes away. Lynn and Anisya Fritz's estate on Quail Hill, with gardens that supply Chef David Frakes's kitchen, 10,000 square feet of caves and a solar-powered, gravity-flow winery. The seated Wine Flight of estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is $60; allow 90 minutes. By reservation, Wednesday to Monday, at 10 a.m., 12:30 and 3 p.m.
4:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Sebastopol or Forestville by 4:45 p.m.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. Lynmar seats its last tasting at 3 p.m., so this day ends around 4:45. It works Wednesday to Sunday, when Underwood serves lunch; Senses confirms visits case by case.
About $60 per person at Lynmar; tasting fees at Senses and William Henry Wineworks are to be verified upon reservation. Each is paid directly to the 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 Senses Wines?
Yes, by inquiry. The winery asks for at least three weeks' notice, and availability is limited. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Senses?
Senses does not publish a tasting fee; tasting fees are to be verified upon reservation.
Is Max Thieriot involved in Senses?
Yes. The actor is one of the three founders, all of whom grew up in Occidental, and he handles branding and marketing.
Who makes the Senses wines?
Thomas Rivers Brown, with assistant winemaker Derek Flegal.
How can I buy Senses wine?
Through the mailing list, and at select restaurants and wine shops.
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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