We did 2 days of wine tours, one using Raul and one doing a more budget option. I'll simply note that you get what you pay for, and I mean that in a good way. If you're looking to tour the commercialized ares for a decent wine, this probably isn't your best bet. He could certainly do the job, but you'll save money going with a less expensive option. If, however, you want someone to find you some value in the high end wines that Napa/Sonoma has to offer, Raul is your guy. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the area, the wines, and the wine makers, and he will put you at vineyards that will provide $200+/bottle quality wines for half the price. If/when we return, we will be reaching out to him. read more

Raoul is a fantastic tour guide. He gets all the hard to get wineries and really tailors your trip around everything you need. From restaurant recs to bottles of wine on good pricing. Raoul is your guy for all things wine! read more

Raul, the Napa Sonoma Wine Guy, was fantastic, knowledgeable and above all a pleasure to work with as a person. He has exclusive information and insight which made the last minute itinerary he planned for us even better. We cannot wait to visit Napa/Sonoma with you again. Thank you! read more

5 stars for a great day -- from the moment I reached out to Raoul he was organized, thoughtful & wanted to ensure the best possible experience for my group. Raoul went above and beyond to make sure our group had an excellent day sipping wines from amazing wineries and booked us a delicious lunch reservation where he even told them it was my father's birthday and they surprised us with dessert. I would absolutely recommend Raoul's services to anyone who is looking for a fantastic day in wine country with a professional tour guide/driver. read more

Do not use Raoul Pare as a driver with Napa Sonoma Wine Guy. He made inappropriate jokes, drove recklessly, didn't have good navigation, charged above what was discussed, was rude to winery workers, wouldn't stop talking about himself, and at one point we discussed leaving him and calling Uber. He ruined our day. Stay clear. read more

What follows is an account of my experience with Napa Sonoma Wine Guy tours. Full disclosure: I don't know if Raoul Paré is a good tour guide. I guess I'll never know. This is based on my experience of winning a silent auction for a tour that was subsequently cancelled at the last minute. If you book with Napa Sonoma Wine Guy, you may face the following: -burden of responsibility for contact and follow-up will fall on you -responses will not not come when promised -expect to double check every detail for unexpected up-sells and surcharges -don't plan to share the wineries you visit on social media (purportedly to protect his "intellectual property") -be prepared to confirm details up until the day before your tour, regardless of when you start planning -it may all fall apart in the 11th hour because the operator does not want to honor his commitments My friends and I were excited for a trip to Napa and the opportunity to "test drive" a Napa tour provider so we'd have someone to could rely on for future visits. My initial interactions left me a little concerned, although given the COVID pandemic, I was understanding. He asked, "Wouldn't I like to schedule additional days?" Well, maybe, if I had positive experiences with his company, but I wasn't ready for that yet. Then the follow up, "You should schedule for an 8 hour tour, since that's my standard." Hmmmm, I thought I purchased a day-trip in Napa, but now you're telling me that it should really be 8 hours not 6? Why did you donate an experience you don't support? But, I thought we came to an understanding that I wanted the trip I'd paid for. I started communication with Raoul well in advance due to a busy schedule closer to travel. There were problems with email so we switched to phone. I consistently had to follow up to get information. He explained that COVID was making scheduling more difficult, so I chose to cut him some slack. When the itinerary was delivered, I skimmed it (because I was extremely busy). BIG MISTAKE. I didn't notice that it was an 8-hour tour. I did follow up to request tasting fees since those were not included. I thought we were set, and did not give it another thought (BIG MISTAKE #2). The day before our scheduled tour I received a text asking where we were staying (for the 3rd time). Then I received a text with a link to "my estimate" and the need to provide credit card information. I thought I had already paid for the tour and that "industry standard gratuity of 20% would be at the discretion of the purchaser" (which I intended to honor, in cash, based on service provided). This estimate included an additional 2 hours, a fuel surcharge, and a 20% pre-paid tip. I responded "I'm sorry, my understanding was that we would be providing a tip but not additional (payments). I'm sorry for any misunderstanding." He then indicated  "[if you aren't] prepared to pay the overages, I can modify the tour to fall within 6 hours. Nearly all of my tours are 8 hours and offer the best flow. Please advise so that I can make the necessary adjustments." To which I replied, "please modify to 6 hours, thanks." Despite the fact that he had just suggested we could do this, he sent the following: "You need to clarify your financial intentions in full detail regarding tomorrow along with complete credit card information. I do not have a good feeling about this arrangement at this point. Misunderstandings can certainly occur and can generally be easily worked through, but you have not put forth anything of the sort thus far. Based on the itinerary you were sent, which clearly shows an approximate 8-hour wine tour and the fact that the auction clearly stated that the package was for 6 hours only I'm flabbergasted that you assumed that the additional hours were simply part of the package! I also spent 6-8 hours putting the itinerary together, as I told you previously, it's much more difficult post COVID 19 for a number of reasons. I have not included a charge for that time. Should you simply wish to cancel the tour please let me know. I'm about out of patience at this point. Your lack of communication is unacceptable in my view." At this point, it was clear that we would not have an enjoyable experience so I suggested that we part ways. To suggest that I should pay additional for the "6-8 hours" spent on the itinerary was rather confusing since that is seemingly the so-called "intellectual property" I was paying for. Had he provided an invoice at the time he provided the itinerary, all of this could have easily been worked out. Then he texted that I "basically assumed a free ride," which I did not honor with a response. Yes, I missed the fact that he'd scheduled an 8-hour tour, but I never expected to receive 2 hours for free. And let's not forget that I had a right to a 6-hour tour. Fortunately, the folks at the Napa Valley Visitors Center were incredibly gracious and helped us schedule day-of appointments and we had a great day. read more

Last minute decision to wine taste during a girls weekend led us to Raul. He was prompt, funny and accommodating. We enjoyed the wineries he selected for us as well as the lunch. Would most definitely book with him again for our next getaway. read more

Been to Sonoma / Napa multiple times but didn't feel like we got the true experience until Raoul. He planned a great itinerary and was so knowledgeable about the area that we can't imagine going back without him! Definitely worth the experience and we can't wait to explore with him again. read more

We used Raoul for two days and had a wonderful time. At every winery we were treated like VIPs and tasted phenomenal wine. We had never visited the area before and what was great about Raoul is he cut through the touristy clutter for us and gave us a wonderful experience in the wine country. It was well worth the money and I highly recommend it for anyone who is looking for a way to avoid the crowds, taste great wine and not have to worry about directions or driving! Do yourself a favor and book Raoul! read more

We are here celebrating my 40th birthday and was ruined by this day. The first thing he said when he got to our house was I need your Wi-Fi. I don't get car sick and about did today with the driving and no air in the car. No tip was discussed and at the end of the day he added 20% tip. Not deserved at all!! Then told us no payment with a card....which was never discussed before booking. And texting while driving. Let's just say SO glad to be back home. He is NOT your wine guy. read more

Great trip with Raoul. He planned our two day excursion to a variety of wineries after learning about our preferences. It was a wonderful worry free way to experience the wine country. The planning, arranging, and driving were all handled expertly while we could just enjoy the beautiful countryside and experience some remarkable wines that we would have been unlikely to have discovered on out own. read more

I've been to Wine Country several times but Holiday 2015 was the first time for my parents. I wanted them to get a sense of the diversity of wineries and see as much as possible; my mother is a fellow "wino" and likes big chards and Russian River; my father is frankly not a connoisseur, likes sweeter varietals and was more interested in the overall experience, a leisurely pace (given his and my mother's age) and enjoying some nice views. In other words, there were multiple objectives and priorities in the agenda I presented to Raoul. He rose to the occasion and put together an itinerary encompassing not just a variety of boutique wineries (many of which I'd not heard of before), but also took us to a winery with wonderful hilltop views and yet another at which we were able to spend "one-on-one" time with the winemaker and walk through the winery's cave. He was also patient in the face of some intra-family issues wherein I presented what my parents wanted at one time but which later changed and I had to go back to him with requested modifications. Additionally, Raoul was our driver for our two days of winery tours. He obviously has relationships throughout the community which, amongst other things, enabled us to be promptly seated at restaurants for lunch. I also appreciated that Raoul's choices favored wineries below Wine Country "normal pricing structure." Knowing where he was going to take us, I was able to separately take my parents to a more corporate option before our time with Raoul such that they could better compare-contrast and appreciate the itinerary Raoul put together for us. I've already recommended Raoul to friends. read more

As relative Napa novices (this was our second visit to Napa) my wife and I had a wonderful experience with Raoul. He took care of the entire day - arranging visits to 3 great boutique wineries where we were treated like true VIPs - and a nice lunch in Napa. We had 3 great tastings and winery tours...we even got a personalized tour at one of the vineyards on a Gator!! Something my wife and I will never forget - sampling different grape varietals right off the vine. It was so cool!! On a more personal note - Raoul is a true gentleman. He is obviously knowledgeable, but completely down to earth...plus he's a very nice man. We had a GREAT time and I strongly recommend Raoul if you are looking for a unique Napa/Sonoma experience. read more

Had an excellent trip to Napa recently, being taken around by Raoul. He chose 3 lovely boutique wineries for us, each with something a little different to experience, but all with great wines. It was wonderful to be with a group of friends, but far away from the madding crowd of Napa on a summer Saturday. Hard to imagine a better itinerary. Just wish we could have had another day, or two, or three. read more

Raoul was great and provided our group with a special wine tour that felt intimate and well planned. In VIP style, we toured wonderful private wineries. Overall, we had an amazing and memorable experience. Would recommend Raoul anytime. read more

We took a trip with Raoul for a couple days and it was awesome. He is an awesome guy and really knows the area! His knowledge of wines and the area were worth every penny twice over. We highly recommend using this serivce read more