Dry Creek Valley · Sonoma County
Visit Wayfarer with a Private Chauffeur
Cleo Pahlmeyer's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a remote Sonoma Coast vineyard Helen Turley called "the La Tache of California," tasted at the winery in Healdsburg, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Wayfarer was an off-the-grid organic farm on the Sonoma Coast, where Dave and Dorothy Davis grew produce for Chez Panisse in the 1970s. When it came up for sale in 1998, winemaker Helen Turley, whose Marcassin vineyard is down the road, brought her friend Jayson Pahlmeyer, the Napa vintner, to see it; she declared it would be "the La Tache of California." David Abreu planted the vineyard in 2002, and for years its fruit went into Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Jayson's daughter, Cleo Pahlmeyer, started Wayfarer with the 2012 vintage and runs it today; after leading the sale of Pahlmeyer in 2019, she focuses entirely on Wayfarer. The vineyard is 30 acres beyond the fog and redwoods on a remote reach of the coast, and winemaker Todd Kohn, who joined in 2013 and took the helm in 2017, makes single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, including allocation-only Block Selection wines.
The vineyard is on a remote reach of the coast, so tastings are held at the winery in Healdsburg, seated and guided. The Portfolio Tasting is the place to start, seven wines over 90 minutes, and the deeper tasting goes into The Estate and the Block Selection wines from single blocks of the high, cool vineyard.
Tasting Fees
$75 for the Wayfarer Portfolio Tasting of seven Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, about 90 minutes. $125 for the 90-minute tasting of The Estate and allocation-only Block Selection wines.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
1441 Grove Street, Suite A, Healdsburg
AVA
Dry Creek Valley
Visiting
Thursday to Monday by appointment. To book less than 24 hours ahead, the winery asks you to call or email.
Known For
Single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, including Block Selection wines
Founded
2012 (first vintage; vineyard planted 2002)
Good to Know
Tasting fees are charged 48 hours before the reservation; cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a Healdsburg hotel such as Hotel Trio or Hotel Healdsburg.
10:00 · Pickup at Hotel Trio or Hotel Healdsburg
Hotel Trio, on Dry Creek Road on the north side of town, is about 5 minutes from Wayfarer, and Hotel Healdsburg, on the town plaza, about 10. The day below fits a six-hour tour, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:10 · Wayfarer
The Wayfarer Portfolio Tasting of seven wines, about 90 minutes ($75).
11:50 · Nalle Winery
About 10 minutes away. One of Dry Creek Valley's most respected Zinfandel houses: Doug Nalle's 1987 Zinfandel earned 92 points from Wine Spectator, and the 2019 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel made its Top 100. Tastings are on the patio behind the living-roof cellar, a concrete arch covered in soil and rosemary, often poured by a member of the family. A flight of six wines is $35. Open Saturday from noon to about 4 p.m., and Wednesday to Friday by reservation.
12:55 · 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.
2:00 · Kokomo Winery
About 5 minutes away. Erik Miller's winery, named for his hometown in Indiana, among the benchland vineyards of Timber Crest Farms, with grower Randy Peters farming the single-vineyard sites. A dedicated host pours a seated 90-minute flight of five wines in the Cellar Lounge among the barrels or on the patio ($30). Seatings on the hour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; reservations recommended.
3:30 · Back to your hotel
Back in Healdsburg by 3:45 p.m., within six hours of pickup.
Three wineries is the right pace for a day of serious tasting. This day works Thursday and Friday, when Wayfarer hosts and Nalle takes reservations; on Saturday Nalle opens at noon, so we shift the morning a little.
About $140 per person in tasting fees for the three wineries, or about $190 with the Block Selection tasting at Wayfarer, 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 Wayfarer?
Yes. Tastings are by appointment, Thursday to Monday; for less than 24 hours' notice the winery asks you to call or email. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Wayfarer?
$75 per person for the Portfolio Tasting and $125 for The Estate and Block Selection tasting, as of September 2026.
Can I visit the Wayfarer vineyard?
The vineyard is on a remote reach of the Sonoma Coast, and tastings are held at the winery in Healdsburg.
Who owns Wayfarer?
Cleo Pahlmeyer, who founded it with the 2012 vintage; her father, Jayson Pahlmeyer, bought the land in 1998. Todd Kohn is the winemaker.
Is Wayfarer related to Pahlmeyer?
It began there: Wayfarer fruit went into Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay before the estate label. Pahlmeyer was sold in 2019, and Cleo now focuses only on Wayfarer.
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":"Wayfarer","url":"https://www.wayfarervineyard.com/","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1441 Grove Street, Suite A","addressLocality":"Healdsburg","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95448","addressCountry":"US"},"foundingDate":"2012"},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Wayfarer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Tastings are by appointment, Thursday to Monday; for less than 24 hours' notice the winery asks you to call or email. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Wayfarer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"$75 per person for the Portfolio Tasting and $125 for The Estate and Block Selection tasting, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I visit the Wayfarer vineyard?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The vineyard is on a remote reach of the Sonoma Coast, and tastings are held at the winery in Healdsburg."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns Wayfarer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Cleo Pahlmeyer, who founded it with the 2012 vintage; her father, Jayson Pahlmeyer, bought the land in 1998. Todd Kohn is the winemaker."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Wayfarer related to Pahlmeyer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It began there: Wayfarer fruit went into Pahlmeyer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay before the estate label. Pahlmeyer was sold in 2019, and Cleo now focuses only on Wayfarer."}},{"@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."}}]}]}