About Picayune
Picayune (pronounce {pee-ka-ˈyün} ) means a little bit in regional French. In the US, it used to be an old Spanish coin worth half the value of the Real. Our tasting room and mercantile store is located in downtown Calistoga and welcomes you seven days a week in our lounge or in one of our several outdoor areas. We make over ten different wines from Rosé to a Napa red blend with a special mention for our Champagne (a partnership with a French family). Picayune is more that great wines, it is also a curated shopping experience with an eclectic selection of amazing artisans including French Master Knife makers, Native American ledger artists, a local silk scarf maker, etc. We look forward to hosting you for a tasting, a luncheon in our courtyard or a glass of wine on Friday night during our live music event. Cheers!
Our Story
Picayune Cellars was founded in 2011 with my good friend Jennifer Roberts. We both shared the same love for drinking quality wines and the same drive for searching great value. Surrounded by a pool of amazing winemaker friends we decided to follow the classic French Negociant model and buy small lots from the hands of our talented friends and give them a new future.
Meet Claire
Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf, a French native grew up in Auvergne; the land of Volcanoes and fabulous cheeses. Inspired by the power of a Mouton Rothschild, she earned a wine degree in Chile and then embarked for France to work harvest in St Emilion and the Côte du Rhône. While working in South America, she met Paul Hobbs and got a job first at Viña Cobos in Mendoza then in California. After numerous opportunities to taste amazing wines and meet wine industry leaders, Claire started a consulting company in 2010. Claire de Lune Consulting focuses on helping fantastic producers including Matthiasson Wines, Anomaly Vineyards, Morlet Family Estate, Cowhorn Winery and more to grow their businesses. Claire lives in Calistoga with husband Aron Weinkauf-Winemaker at Spottswoode Winery and their two children.
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Testimonials
Since we moved to the wine country in 2019, my husband went wine tasting in many places, we selected about 5 wineries to become members. But Picayune is my gem. Starting with the service, Jene Marie and Carly are the most friendly host we've enconter, cozy place, great wine, live music on Fridays. It can't be better than that!
Ivanete Sepulvida
Very personable and friendly. The owner is the winemaker, so she can explain everything and loves talking about her wine. One of the best female winemakers in the nation!
Tammie L.
My husband and I tasted wine here. Beautiful tasting room with lots of Native American arts and crafts. The host was friendly. Picayune honors the Priority Wine pass, fyi, check it out if you're not familiar. We bought the 2015 Padlock, a merlot, at a reasonable price!
Linda H
Our afternoon at Picayune was wonderfully informative and relaxing, tasting four of Picayune's outstanding wines. Claire's experience and expertise were evident in her choices and the wines are an outstanding value. We were very happy to learn all that we did and to support a woman owned business. On the main street in Calistoga...stop in if you are in town!