Poggi Wines (pronounced po-gee) was founded by Tom and Lauri Poggi. Based in Calistoga, they operate one of the smaller estate vineyards in all of Napa Valley; their property is approximately half an acre on the valley floor of which approximately 450 vines are planted. They purchased this property in 2004 and have made wine from the estate every year since other than 2008 when a severe frost destroyed the majority of their crop. For the first 10 years they made home wine; the early years were with the help of long time Napa winemaker Nile Zacherle. Their property backs right up to Kenefick Ranch, a proven vineyard that provides grapes for a number of premium clients in the valley.
Tom was born in Chicago but raised in Oregon (where he graduated from the University of Oregon in Eugene). Laurie is originally from Minnesota. Both looked for property in ‘wine country’ for about 5 years – spending most of their time looking in the Sonoma Valley but seeing properties that often-needed significant work. Eventually they were shown a piece of property in Calistoga – an acre with a home that they could move into without needing to do significant upkeep. They were attracted to Calistoga because it is often less busy than the rest of Napa Valley, it’s strong farming roots, and the fact the property was in a rural area but within a very short drive into the town of Calistoga.
And during their trips to the area, they would often explore other wineries in the region. Laurie recalls their first-time wine tasting in the upper part of the valley; being attracted to a rather eclectic property, Tudal Winery (now home of Napa de Oro) tasting with the founders, Arnold and Alma in a ‘shed’ next to the vineyard.
At the time of purchase the property was planted entirely to Syrah. Tom remembers leaning over discretely to Laurie and whispering in her ear, “Is that a white or a red grape”? Their wine and viticulture education has come a long way since that innocent question, helped in part by other vintners and the local winemaking community. And their passion and energy for what they do is absolutely contagious. Ultimately, they decided to graft over the vines to Cabernet Sauvignon with a tiny portion grafted over to Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Each of these other varieties is only a single row in the vineyard, together totaling about 15% of their tiny plot.
Their vineyard is called the Twin Palms Vineyard for obvious reasons but is not to be confused with the Three Palms Vineyard owned by Duckhorn, located slightly to the south of their property. Two stately palm trees grow on the eastern edge of their vineyard, but the name has even more significance; Laurie is one of two identical twins and Tom’s initials are “TP”. Their location is among some of Calistoga’s most highly sought after vineyards – the historic Eisele Vineyard is a short walk away, Kenefick Ranch borders their property and a Jayson Woodbridge owned winery (the former Kelly Fleming Winery) is located within eyesight of their home, as are stellar views of the Palisades to the east.
The approval of the Calistoga appellation occurred in late 2009, about 5 years after the Poggi’s purchased this property. The Calistoga AVA, located at the northernmost reach of Napa Valley, is a region defined by its dramatic environmental contrasts and a singular geological identity. Situated between the towering Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges, the appellation experiences some of the most intense heat in the entire valley during the summer months. However, this heat is moderated by a powerful natural cooling mechanism; cool Pacific air is drawn in through the Chalk Hill Gap to the west, causing temperatures to plummet at night. This results in the largest diurnal temperature swing in Napa, often in the range of 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer growing season. For a grape grower, this cycle is indispensable, as the high daytime heat ensures deep color and sugar development, while the cold nights allow the vines to rest and retain the natural acidity necessary for balanced, structural longevity.
Geologically, Calistoga is notably uniform compared to its southern neighbors, with almost its entire footprint underlain by volcanic bedrock. The soils across the AVA—ranging from rocky, stony loams on the steep hillsides to gravelly alluvial fans on the valley floor—are primarily of volcanic origin. This specific terroir is highly prized because volcanic soils are typically well-draining and low in certain nutrients, which forces the grapevines to struggle. This natural stress limits the growth of excessive foliage and instead directs the plant’s energy into small, concentrated berries. These grapes often possess a distinctive “dusty” or “stony” minerality and a high concentration of phenolics, which translates into wines with intense flavor profiles.
The combination of extreme temperature shifts and volcanic soil makes Calistoga a premier location for robust red varieties, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for more than half of the region’s acreage. Growers also take advantage of the area’s history by maintaining rare, old-vine plantings of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Charbono, which thrive in the intense afternoon sun. While the region is celebrated for its power and opulence, the topographical diversity—with elevations rising from 300 to 1,200 feet—provides cooler pockets where varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah can develop elegance and aromatic complexity. For reference, the Poggi’s property is at an elevation of approximately 360 feet. Calistoga is one of the most respected sub-appellations in Napa Valley for producing age-worthy, world-class wines.
Besides producing premium grapes, this site produces a significant number of rocks. The former owner used to call this “rock vineyard” for all the rocks he would harvest from its soils; that is not unusual in this part of Calistoga, we walked the nearby Eisele Vineyard before and immediately noticed the number of rocks in their soils.
Tom and Laurie compare their vineyard to a musician – the same musician produces music every year but puts out different albums (equating to the different vintages).
After making home wine for a number of years, and realizing the quality of their vineyard, they both asked themselves, “wouldn’t it be fun if we started making wine commercially” – they hope to keep their production small and keep this project fun. Their first commercial release is from 2014; today they produce 60 to 95 cases of each wine. They are certainly one of Napa Valley’s smaller producers. Being small has its own unique challenges including trying to find a custom crush facility up valley that will accommodate and keep such a small producer and the economies of scale when purchasing materials. As a result, they have made the wine at a number of wineries. Eventually they purchased their own dedicated tank and let the winery they currently produce wine in, use this as needed.
They were introduced to their consulting winemaker, Ignacio Blancas who was the long-time winemaker at Calistoga based Summers Estate Winery (now owned by Brasswood Estate) through their former vineyard manager Placido Garcia. Today Ignacio makes their wine (he calls this vineyard his ‘test kitchen’ due its small size) and also oversees the management of their vines. He also introduced them to a vintner on Diamond Mountain where they purchase fruit for their Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tom and Laurie had no prior experience operating a small wine brand before to moving to the Napa Valley. The past few years have been a significant learning curve but one they have been very open to. As relative “newcomers” to the wine world, their graciousness, zest for life and eagerness to learn goes a long way in this business.
Rather than outsource certain parts of the business, Laurie decided to learn as much as she can. Today she handles their sales and marketing and compliance (not always easy with regulations often differing state by state) and created the concept design for their label.
Select Wines
The 2018 Poggi Twin Palms Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in the glass; its aromatics are lively and fruit forward in its youth showing notes of ripe blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry. Influences from the barrel aging complement the bouquet rather than detract. The focus is on the fruit with more subtle notes of old cedar box and white pepper. Savory on the palate, especially on the finish, lingers with flavors of black fruits including plum and dark cherry along with dried herbs and some darker spice notes. The texture is an appealing component of this wine, featuring rounded, finer grained tannins that feel almost silt-like in character. This wine is already nicely balanced in its youth.
The 2018 Poggi Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in color; the aromatics are immediately powerful and focused on ripe fruit including of blackberry and dark cherry with hints of black licorice and cassis. Also shows notes of dried herbs, dust and of sage. Features a richness of flavor across the palate; flavors of spicy Santa Rosa plum and black currant are framed by a savory, dark finish with gravelly grape and oak tannins that persist for some time. Also lingers with darker peppercorn. This wine is big but balanced and, in its youth, would pair perfectly with a ribeye right off of the BBQ. Texas steak lovers looking for a hillside grown wine with loads of character would immensely enjoy this bottling.
The 2017 Poggi Twin Palms Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is 86.8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Petit Verdot, 4.3% Cab Franc and 3.5% Merlot. The bouquet is highly appealing and includes a union of fruit aromatics complemented nicely with subtle influences of oak barrel aging. Offers berry aromas similar to the 2018 vintage including ripe blackberry and boysenberry along with cassis. As the wine breathes offers additional notes of milk chocolate, mocha and espresso. The palate is superbly balanced (we tasted 4.5 years post vintage) with absolutely no harsh edges. Shows flavors of cherry and red currant on the finish anchored by well-integrated grape and barrel tannins. If we had to guess, perhaps this vintage/bottling has a slightly higher acidity than the 2018 Twin Palms. This wine spent 22 months in 100% French oak of which 50% were new barrels.
The 2017 Poggi Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal. The bouquet offers a ripeness of both dark and red fruits but not an over ripeness. The aromas show ripe blackberry and blackberry pie along with more of a baking spice note than in the 2018 vintage including cardamom and some subtle vanilla and mocha undertones. The palate features primarily darker fruits loaded with layers of flavor. Features a noticeable intensity of fruit anchored by robust, grippy and lively tannins which persist for quite some time on the finish. This wine’s mountain ‘character’ is clearly on display in this vintage. This bottling was aged 22 months in 100% French oak, of which 50% was new barrels. This is a special wine and perhaps our favorite of all their wines we have tried to date.
The 2014 Poggi Twin Palms Vineyard is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 5% each of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The bouquet is immediately alluring, showcasing elegant notes of toasted cedar and exotic sandalwood that weave through a core of mixed berries. On the palate, this wine is supple, possessing a seamless quality that carries its fruit, acidity, and tannins in perfect unison from the first sip to the last. It presents a lively profile of red cherry and raspberry, offering a bright and energetic fruit character that lingers on a finish complemented by soft, polished tannins. The inclusion of the other Bordeaux varieties adds a touch of herbal complexity and plushness, rounding out the structure and enhancing the overall elegance of the wine.
The 2014 Poggi Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal; this wine is a deep, dark color in the glass, immediately signaling its concentration. The nose is ]expressive, leading with rich aromas of cassis and dark cherry that are soon joined by a slightly perfumy floral lift. As the wine opens further, more savory layers emerge, including subtle hints of wood smoke and mocha that add a pleasing complexity to the bouquet. On the palate, the wine is balanced, showcasing mostly dark fruits that feel both ripe and refined. It offers a refreshing level of acidity that maintains its vibrancy, while the tannins are earthy and noticeable—appearing more prominently on the front of the palate before smoothing out toward the finish.
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Recognizing the fact, they are a newer producer and despite making wine from their vineyard for a number of years already, they have priced their wines quite reasonably. Their wines are mostly sold direct; for several years the only retail outlet in Napa Valley that carried their wines was Calistoga Wine Stop in the town of Calistoga, prior to permanently closing. Poggi Wines is a member of the Calistoga Winegrowers Association and attends and pours wine at several of the member events each year. For more information and to purchase wine, visit: www.poggiwines.com
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