Napa & Sonoma Valley, California
Relaxing Trips With Our Premier Wine Tour Company
Small boutique wineries, intimate experiences, and personalized itineraries — crafted exclusively for you since 2014.
Over 14 Years of Industry Experience
What Sets Ultimate Wine Tours Apart
Boutique Wineries
We take you beyond the tourist trail to intimate, family-owned wineries where you are welcomed by the owner or winemaker — often at their home, overlooking stunning views of the Valley.
Speak Directly With Jean
When you call, you speak directly with Jean DuBois — not staff, not a booking system. She personally crafts your itinerary around your preferences and gives you her cell phone for the day of your tour.
True Privacy & Exclusivity
Your group, your pace, your day. You will not be tasting alongside strangers. One dedicated wine specialist is assigned exclusively to you for the entire experience.
Independent & Unbiased
We are not connected to or paid by any specific winery. Your itinerary is built entirely around your tastes — with no hidden affiliations or referral fees influencing our recommendations.
Valley Insider Access
Over 14 years we have built deep personal relationships with winery owners and winemakers throughout Napa and Sonoma — opening doors that simply aren't available on standard tours.
Napa & Sonoma Valleys
From the grandeur of Napa to the rustic charm of Sonoma, our specialists are locals who call these valleys home — and their knowledge and passion shows in every tour.
Private Moments in Wine Country
Steve & Jean DuBois — Founders
Steve and Jean DuBois are the visionary founders of Ultimate Wine Tours. With Captain Steve's history in the wine country dating back to 1980 and Admiral Jean's background in business management, their journey began with a shared passion for boutique wineries.
Steve's career in the restaurant industry included being a partner in 11 fast food restaurants and Stim's BBQ and Catering, which he made very successful for 11 years. He then pursued an education in wines, finishing at the top of his class, and began wine tours in 2010 — building personal relationships with boutique winery owners and winemakers throughout the Valley.
Jean is a native of Maine, where she earned her degree in business management. She went on to owning a boutique store on the main street of her hometown while having a full-time career in accounting and operations — ultimately becoming VP of Operations for a high-technology company. She met Steve on a wine tour, pulled up roots in Maine, moved to Sonoma, and they eventually married and co-founded Ultimate Wine Tours in 2014.
When you contact us, you will be speaking directly with Jean. She creates your personalized itinerary based on your wine preferences, and gives you her personal cell phone number so you can reach her directly throughout your tour.
- No "cookie cutter" tours — every itinerary is personally crafted for you
- Not affiliated with any specific wineries — true, unbiased independence
- You will taste privately — not with a group of people you don't know
- Many tastings hosted by the winery owner or winemaker, sometimes at their home
Steve DuBois begins his connection to wine country, working in the restaurant and hospitality industry — building a passion for California wine culture that would define his life.
Steve formally pursues wine education, finishes at the top of his class, and begins leading wine tours for local companies — forging deep personal relationships with Napa and Sonoma winery owners and winemakers.
Jean DuBois, a Maine native and VP of Operations at a high-technology company, meets Steve on one of his tours. She moves to Sonoma and together they begin building something new.
Ultimate Wine Tours is officially founded. Steve and Jean marry and launch the company together — committed to small boutique wineries, genuine privacy, and personalized itineraries.
Eight expert wine specialists, hundreds of tours completed, and a reputation built entirely on word-of-mouth and five-star reviews. Every tour remains as personal as the first.
Custom Winery Tour Experiences
We carefully select three wineries for your itinerary based on the wines you wish to experience. Every detail is managed — you simply arrive and enjoy.
The Ultimate Wine Tour
Three small boutique wineries personally selected around your varietal preferences. You will be welcomed by winery owners and winemakers — many offering wines unavailable anywhere else. Optional two-hour, seven-course food and wine pairing lunch available.
Jean personally customizes every itinerary. You will not taste with strangers — this experience is yours alone.
20% gratuity included · $50 gas surcharge · Tasting fees separate
The Paris Tasting Tour
Commemorating the legendary 1976 "Judgment of Paris" blind tasting — the event that put California wine on the world map. This tour visits three iconic historic wineries: Chateau Montelena (est. 1886, featured in Bottle Shock), Grgich Hills Estate, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.
A journey through the history that forever changed the wine world.
20% gratuity included · $50 gas surcharge · Oakville Grocery lunch available (extra cost)
Sonoma Coast Excursion
A breathtaking two-day experience. Day one features Russian River AVA tastings and a scenic journey down Highway 1, culminating with dinner and an overnight stay at Rivers End Restaurant and Inn — named in Yelp's Top 100 Places to Stay in the United States.
Day two brings three more wineries and lunch before returning. Seasonal pricing available upon request.
Seasonal pricing — contact us for details
$50 gas surcharge per day
Special Marriage Proposal Tour
A fully customized, unforgettable proposal day featuring three wineries with a professional photographer capturing every moment. Complimentary video creation included. Optional seven-course food and wine pairing lunch available.
We handle every detail so you can focus entirely on the moment.
20% gratuity included · $50 gas surcharge · Professional photo capture & complimentary video included
Corporate Events & Team Bonding
Customized events accommodating up to 56 guests with curated wine tastings, catered meals, and chef services. All logistics, winery appointments, and scheduling are fully managed by our team.
From intimate executive retreats to large team celebrations, we create a seamless, memorable experience.
Contact (207) 660-5807 for group pricing
$50 gas surcharge per day
Private Wine Labeling
Create a completely personalized wine with a custom label from our partner winemakers. A memorable gift for weddings, corporate events, or personal collections. Requires a color PDF design file.
Pricing varies by wine selection, label quantity, and shipping. Contact Jean to discuss your vision.
Pricing varies — contact us for details
$200 deposit required per day · 72-hour cancellation policy · $50 gas surcharge ($60 for SF pickups) · 20% gratuity included · Groups 15+: call (207) 660-5807
Reserve Your TourOur Wine Specialists
Each specialist brings a unique life story and a deep, genuine passion for wine — ensuring your experience is as unique as you are.
Jean is a native of Maine where she got her degree in business management. She went on to owning a boutique store on the main street of her hometown while having a full-time career in accounting and operations. While visiting Sonoma, Jean went on a wine tour hosted by Steve. They hit it off and several months later, Jean moved to Sonoma and became Vice President of Operations for a high-technology company. Eventually, they were married and founded Ultimate Wine Tours together in 2014. Today, when you contact us you will be speaking directly with Jean. She creates the itinerary for you based on your preferences for wines. You will have Jean's personal cell phone number so you can contact her directly.
Steve's career in the restaurant industry included being a partner in 11 fast food restaurants and Stim's BBQ and Catering, which he made very successful for 11 years. It came time for a new direction in life and Steve pursued an education in wines, finishing at the top of the class. He then began doing wine tours for local wine tour companies in 2010, where he met and formed personal relationships with the winery owners and winemakers. With his business background it was a natural transition to own a wine tour company and he founded Ultimate Wine Tours in 2014. Steve's philosophy is to have fun in whatever you are doing, and it has been said that he "has a Ph.D. in fun."
Tom had a 37-year career in marketing and advertising, owning a full service advertising agency for 20 years. He is also a professional chef and owned a catering company for 25 years. Today Tom has almost 20 years of experience conducting customized wine tours. He has been a judge and panel member judging professional wine competitions. He is an author and instructor teaching classes in proper wine tasting techniques. He has authored the Simplified Wine Tasting Kit, and the Insider's Guide to Napa Wineries, and is currently working on the Insider's Guide to Sonoma Wineries, and the second edition of the Napa guide.
After a 20-year career in law enforcement, Lance changed directions and has been in wine tours for over 23 years. Having lived in the area for many years he was familiar with the wineries in the valleys. He is also a member of the Napa Valley Tour Guide Guild, a group of knowledgeable wine specialists that are "step-on" bus guides hired for corporate events and by large tour companies. After all these years he still loves what he is doing.
Mike is a native of San Francisco with family roots in New Orleans. He had a career in information technology and when his "tech job" moved to India in 2009, he decided to forsake Mumbai and remain in Napa. Looking for a more stress free career Mike turned to the wine tour industry in 2010, and began working for several top wine tour companies, creating itineraries for clients and hosting wine tours in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. He has developed a personal relationship with many of the winery owners and winemakers.
David had a 35-year career in the capital medical equipment industry, "capital" meaning equipment starting at $100,000 or more, and retired as Vice President of a global capital equipment company. Throughout his career he learned about wines while entertaining doctors, as they would order the wines with dinners. Through his studies, David's personal home wine cellar peaked at 750 bottles. With his knowledge of wine, David began hosting wine tours for several predominant wine tour companies in the Valley. He now has over 11 years creating and hosting private wine tours.
Dan had a 50-year career with General Motors in Detroit and owned a Chevrolet dealership for 19 of those years. Dan was always a "wine guy" drinking wine among the many Detroit beer drinkers. He moved to Sonoma after retirement in 2006. Dan has known Steve and Jean for 18 years and started hosting wine tours for them. He credits Steve and Jean for teaching him about the industry, the wine making process and the wineries.
A native of Sonoma, and Captain Steve's daughter, Lesley grew up in the wine country. In college she was a four-time All American in professional basketball, competing in Germany, New Zealand, and Portugal. Lesley joined the family business after a career in the food service industry with wine country establishments. Being very familiar with local wineries she would recommend wines to clients to enjoy with their meals.
Book Your Ultimate Wine Tour
Ready to plan your perfect day? Fill in the details and Jean will personally reach out to confirm your itinerary — usually within a few hours.
Booking Request Sent!
Jean will personally reach out to confirm your tour details and craft your perfect itinerary.
Need to reach us sooner? Call (207) 660-5807
Stories from the Valley
"We felt like VIP guests at every winery. Jean's personal touch in crafting our itinerary made the entire trip feel like it was designed just for us — because it was."
"Tom knew every winemaker by first name. We were welcomed into private cellars not open to the public. This was truly an insider's experience we will never forget."
"After 20 years of visiting Napa, we discovered wineries we'd never heard of and had conversations with owners we'll treasure forever. Absolutely irreplaceable."
"Jean answered the phone on the first ring and spent 45 minutes with me designing our day. The wineries she chose were perfect — hidden gems we would have never found on our own."
"We proposed at a private vineyard overlooking the valley with a photographer capturing everything. Steve handled every single detail. It was the most magical day of our lives."
"Visiting from London, we had no idea what to expect. Our specialist Lance was extraordinary — a walking encyclopedia of the valley with a story for every winery. Ten out of ten."
Plan Your Perfect Tour
Fill out the form and Jean will personally reach out to craft your custom itinerary. Most enquiries receive a response within a few hours.
Thank You!
Jean will be in touch with you personally within a few hours to craft your perfect wine tour itinerary.
Need to reach us sooner? Call (207) 660-5807