Dry Creek Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Tongue Dancer Wines with a Private Chauffeur
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from James MacPhail, poured at a small private tasting room above the barrels at his family's winery, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Tongue Dancer Wines is the project of James and Kerry MacPhail, which they began in 2012. Pinot Noir lovers will know James from his earlier work at MacPhail Family Wines; he has spent decades making Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and named the new label for the quality he chases most, the way a wine moves and feels in the mouth.
The wines come from well-known Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards, usually just a few barrels from each site, so they are always in short supply; the label has also released a dry cider. All Tongue Dancer wines are made at the family's small winery on Magnolia Drive, steps from their home, which also makes wine for a few other small labels.
The tasting room is a private room upstairs, above the production floor, and it holds up to six guests; when the cellar allows, tastings move down to a zinc table on wheels among the barrels. It is a seated, educational and very personal visit: about six wines, available only here, over about 90 minutes.
Tasting Fees
$30 per person for a seated tasting of about six wines, about 90 minutes, which can be applied to a purchase of three bottles 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
851 Magnolia Drive, Healdsburg
AVA
Dry Creek Valley
Visiting
Seated tastings by reservation: Tuesday to Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Monday at noon and 3 p.m.
Known For
Small-lot Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
Founded
2012
Good to Know
Up to 6 guests. The tasting room is up two short flights of stairs (19 steps); tell us ahead if stairs are a problem and the winery will try to host you on the ground floor. No children or pets, as this is a working winery. No split tastings, except for a designated driver or a guest who does not drink.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:50 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona.
10:50 · Pickup at Hotel Healdsburg or The Madrona
Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, and The Madrona, a 24-room hotel on a historic estate on Westside Road, are each about 10 minutes from the winery on Magnolia Drive, so we pick you up in time for the 11 o'clock tasting. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
11:00 · Tongue Dancer Wines
The seated tasting of about six wines, upstairs above the barrels, about 90 minutes ($30).
12:40 · Lunch at Bravas Bar de Tapas
About 10 minutes away. James Beard finalists Mark and Terri Stark's tapas bar on Center Street, steps from the Healdsburg plaza, with paella, Spanish wines and tables indoors or outside. Open daily from 11:30 a.m. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:00 · Unti Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. A family estate for Italian and Rhône varieties, farmed organically since 2003. A tasting of six wines of your choice is $25, waived with a bottle purchase, and each tasting takes the hour it is booked for. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by reservation, with tastings starting on the hour.
3:15 · Dutcher Crossing Winery
About 15 minutes away. A farmhouse-style winery where two creeks meet, with a breezeway view over the north end of Dry Creek Valley; dogs are welcome and picnics too. Tasting fees are confirmed when we book. Open daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; reservations recommended.
4:40 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 4:40 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day uses Tongue Dancer's 11 o'clock tasting, so it works Tuesday to Saturday; on Monday the first tasting is at noon, and we shift the day to fit.
About $55 per person for Tongue Dancer and Unti, paid directly to each winery; Dutcher Crossing's fee is to be verified upon reservation.
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 Tongue Dancer Wines?
Yes. Tastings are seated, by reservation, at set times: Tuesday to Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Monday at noon and 3 p.m. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Tongue Dancer Wines?
$30 per person, which can be applied to a purchase of three bottles per person, as of September 2026.
Can children come to Tongue Dancer?
No. The tasting room is small and sits in a working winery, so children and pets are not allowed.
Who makes Tongue Dancer wines?
James MacPhail, known for his earlier work with MacPhail Family Wines, who runs Tongue Dancer with his wife, Kerry.
What does Tongue Dancer make?
Small lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast vineyards, usually a few barrels from each site.
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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