Russian River Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Sunce Winery with a Private Chauffeur
A Croatian-born winemaker's family winery on Olivet Road, pouring small lots from some 43 grape varieties, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Winemaker Frane Franicevic was born and raised in Sućuraj, Croatia, moved to New Orleans and then to California for graduate school, and earned a PhD in East-West psychology before turning to wine. He and his wife and business partner, Janae, started the winery in the early 1990s as One World Winery and renamed it Sunce in 1998. Sunce means "sun" in Croatian.
Sunce makes small lots of rare varieties, vineyard-designate wines and classic blends, some 43 varieties in all, sometimes as few as 200 cases of a wine. The fruit comes from the estate Pinot Noir vineyard, Zora's, on Olivet Road, and from growers in the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Valley and Clear Lake.
The tasting room is on Olivet Road, among the vineyards west of Santa Rosa, and it is easygoing: kids and pets are welcome, and the range of varieties means there is almost always something you have not tasted before. It suits curious guests who like to explore beyond Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Tasting Fees
$25 per person.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1839 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa
AVA
Russian River Valley
Visiting
Open Thursday to Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Tastings can be scheduled online.
Known For
Small lots from some 43 grape varieties, and the estate Zora's Pinot Noir
Founded
Early 1990s, as One World Winery; renamed Sunce in 1998
Good to Know
Kids and pets are welcome. Club members taste free with up to three guests.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:40 a.m. from a Santa Rosa hotel such as Hotel E or Vinarosa.
10:40 · Pickup at Hotel E or Vinarosa
Hotel E, a restored 1906 Beaux-Arts landmark on the square in downtown Santa Rosa, and Vinarosa, set among 92 acres of vineyards in Santa Rosa, are each about 20 minutes from Sunce Winery. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Sunce Winery & Vineyard
A tasting of small-lot wines ($25), about an hour.
12:25 · Lunch at Handline
About 25 minutes away. A casual Sebastopol spot, open since 2016, with seasonal food from local farmers and fishermen, served mostly outdoors. Open daily from 11 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
1:50 · Kanzler Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. The Kanzler family's 20-acre Pinot Noir estate in the Sebastopol Hills, planted in 1996 on an old apple orchard; Kosta Browne has made a Kanzler vineyard-designate wine every year since 2002. The private, seated tasting starts with the Estate Chardonnay and a walk to the vines, then a flight of Pinot Noirs ($75, about 90 minutes, up to 8 guests). By appointment.
3:50 · Stonemason Cellars
About 30 minutes away. TJ and Francesca Elam's small-batch winery in Santa Rosa's historic Railroad Square, named for TJ's ancestor Batista Maggetti, a Swiss stonemason who helped build the Greystone winery in St. Helena. The seated Reserve Flight of four Harmon Family Reserve wines is $65 (1 to 1.5 hours), and Nibbles & Wine, three wines with small bites, is $25. Walk-ins welcome; open until 7 p.m., 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
5:05 · Back to your hotel
Back in Santa Rosa by 5:15 p.m., about six and a half hours after pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday to Monday, when Sunce is open; Kanzler's tasting runs about 90 minutes, and Stonemason stays open into the evening, so the day ends around 5:15.
About $165 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 Sunce Winery?
Tastings can be scheduled online, Thursday to Monday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Sunce Winery?
$25 per person, as of September 2026. Club members taste free with up to three guests.
Who owns Sunce Winery?
Winemaker Frane Franicevic, born in Croatia, and his wife and business partner, Janae Franicevic.
What does Sunce mean?
Sun, in Croatian. The winery began as One World Winery and took the name Sunce in 1998.
Can I bring children or pets to Sunce?
Yes. Kids and pets are welcome.
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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