Frequently Asked Questions:

Where does the tour start?

Our tour starts at the San Francisco Ferry Building and meets outside the main entrance. The Ferry Building is the big clock tower building at the end of Market Street. To find us, do not go inside the Ferry Building because we start our tours directly outside in front of the building. Look for our check-in representative who will be wearing a red jacket. Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of the tour!

The important thing to note about the wine country tour is that we must leave on time. The shuttle leaves at exactly 8:31 on weekdays, and 8:16am on weekends. If you have arrived later - you have most likely missed us and will need to go our next tour day. Sorry, we don't permit refunds given that we have held your seat and turned away other customers.

Are there any out-of-pockets expenses?

The presigious Napa Valley wineries that we have chosen do have tasting fees because they pour lots of great quality wines. The tasting fees are optional meaning you don't have do taste wine at every location. The wine tastings offer great value whether it's including winery tours, waiving the fees if you buy wine or letting you taste up to 5 wines. The wine tasting fees are handled uniquely at each stop. We encourage you to bring cash to pay these fees, but credit cards can also be used.

Here is the rundown of the fees that you will pay directly to the wineries when you choose to taste their wines:

Domain Chandon - $10 fee includes excellent 35 minute winery tour and 3 different tastes - (about 1.5 glasses of sparkling wine)
V. Sattui Winery - $5 includes 5 wine tastes (about 2.5 glasses of wine).
Black Stallion- $5 fee includes 4 wine tastes (about 2 glasses of wine) / WAIVES fee if you purchase wine!
Andretti Winery - (Famous Mario Andretti Winery) has a $10 fee includes 4 tastes (about 2 glasses of wine)

The fees are not included in the tour price because this may be too much wine for some of our guests. You're free to skip and not taste at any of the wineries.

Alternate Winery Fees: From time-to-time we do visit these other Napa Valley wineries -

Rutherford Ranch - $10 fee includes 4 different tastes, plus the fee is WAIVED if you purchase wine!
Flora Springs - $10 fee includes 4 different tastes
Rutherford Grove - $10 fee includes 5 different tastes, plus the fee is WAIVED if you purchase wine!

How about the competition?

When you check out other wine country tours, ask yourself these questions:
1) Do they take you on a ferry/bay cruise as part of the tour?
2) What wineries do they go to? Are they telling me what wineries they're taking me to?
3) Why did they select those wineries?
4) Do they offer really expert tour guides?
5) Are they adding or forcing Muir Woods to an already long day?
6) Are the wines good at the wineries they're visiting?
7) Does their tour include a picnic lunch?
8) Do you get to select what you want to eat?
9) Are they visiting these wineries only because they're close to San Francisco?

On the Wine Country Tour Shuttle, we take you to wineries that are in the heart of Napa Valley because they offer great wines in a great memorable, picturesque location.

What is the difference between your Saturday/Sunday tour and Weekdays (Monday - Friday)?

Because weekends are busiest, it's important that we leave at 8:15am and not 8:30am. Please plan accordingly.

 

How early should I book?

Especially in the summer and on holidays we highly recommend booking early because our shuttles tend to sell out fast.

 

Which stops are winery tours?

We include a formal tour at Domaine Chandon, and your tour guide will provide informal tours/discussions of grape growing and the wine making process throughout the day. At Andretti Winery, you can stroll out into the vineyards to see the grape vines up close. Note: The specific wineries we visit occasionally change for various reasons.

 

Do I need to be 21 years or older to go on the tour?

No. However to taste wine...YES. You cannot taste with an adult or guardian if you're not 21 years or older. You can still go on the tour, and even into the wineries, but they will check I.D. Be sure to bring your I.D. (e.g., drivers license, passport)!

How were these itinerary wineries selected?

More importantly we want to go into the heart of Napa Valley. We want to show you the famous Silverado Trail, as well as the popular Rutherford and Oak Knoll regions of Napa. We want to provide visits to both large and boutique wineries, that serve a variety of wine types. We feel it is important to choose wineries that have both great wine and beautiful locations! We didn't select wineries just because they're close to San Francisco as some other companies do. Finally, V. Sattui is just a perfect place for a picnic lunch!

 

How does the picnic lunch work?

The Napa Valley picnic lunch is at V. Sattui Winery. First we will taste five of their varietal wines (for $5 fee). If you prefer, the V. Sattui reserve wines are available for taste for $10 per person. After we taste their wines, we recommend you buy a bottle of wine for lunch. The Wine Country Tour Shuttle gives you a $10 lunch coupon per person. Head over to the gourmet deli area as well as the olive and cheese bars to make your selections. This is good because you get to eat what you want rather than having us decide for you. Remember, we provide free bottles of water at the shuttle. All you will need is any wine you purchase and our water we provide for refreshments. The winery grounds have many picnic tables, both in the sunshine and under beautiful shade trees.

 

Are winery stops subject to change?

Yes, this is sometimes necessary. When we do change a winery stop with another we always attempt to change with one that is comparable in quality and wine grape variatals.

What are the current alternate wineries you might use?

Rutherford Ranch, Flora Springs, and Rutherford Grove wineries are typical alternates, however, in most cases, we do not have to use alternate wineries.

I would like to add a San Francisco Tour and a Muir Woods Tour on different days, can I book a package?

YES. You can save $4 per person on additional tours that you add to your order by calling 415-513-5400 or booking online. If you book the tours together the discount is applied automatically. If you decide later to add additional tours, let us know when you check in for the second tour and we'll give you the discount in cash!

 

What is your refund and change tour date policy?

Because we reserve seats for you and turn away other customers once you've made a booking, we offer only partial refunds for cancelations or missed tours. If you need to cancel you should give us at least three days notice to receive the highest level of refund. With less notice, or if you miss the tour because you are late, or if you simply don't show up, a smaller refund can be requested. We also give you the opportunity to take the tour another day, with payment of a change processing fee. For full details on our policies, review our terms and conditions for details.