Caspar Estate is owned and managed by the brother sister team of Jody Harris and Gingy Harris Gable. Their grandparents Virginia and Caspar Escher purchased property in Rutherford in 1958 with the intent to have a second property away from San Francisco. One of their requirements was they be near a valley - in hindsight they certainly chose the "right" … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2013
Noble Wines
Noble Wines was founded by George Noble and his wife Patricia in 2003. While they have made a vintage every single year since then, they did not release any of their earlier vintages until 2012. George has long preferred drinking wines that have been aged. With that said, he notes that "bad wines do not get good with age"! His winemaking philosophy is to … [Read more...]
Kongsgaard Wine
Kongsgaard Wine - A cave shrouded in silence is perhaps the ultimate studious environment to work within an underground winery. A cave with classical music playing quickly changes the atmosphere and ties the science of winemaking into the art of winemaking. Judging by John Kongsgaard's large collection of CDs in the wine cave - his work here is seldom done … [Read more...]
Wise Acre Vineyard
Wise Acre Vineyard - There are a number of very small producers in the Napa Valley, many of whom produce under 500 cases - but then there is "tiny" and this is uniquely defined by Wise Acre Vineyard. This 1/2 acre commercially producing vineyard is managed by Lynn and Kirk Grace and is located at the 600 foot elevation below Howell Mountain. They are … [Read more...]
Taplin Cellars
Taplin Cellars as a wine label is a newer addition to Napa Valley but the Taplin family history in the area dates back to 1871. First Taplin family member to move to the Napa Valley was John Orange Taplin, a dairyman who came to California from Vermont during the Gold Rush, settled in San Francisco in 1856 and eventually moved north to find a home for his … [Read more...]
Juslyn Vineyards
Juslyn Vineyards is owned by Carolyn and Perry Butler; both are originally from the United Kingdom. They purchased Global Dynamics, Inc and operated and grew this staffing company for proprietary software until they sold this business in 1997. As a result of their operations, they would often stop in California on their way to Asia for work. Eventually they … [Read more...]
Gandona Estate
Gandona is a winery built on a property which has a long well-regarded vineyard history in Napa Valley. This is Pritchard Hill, a small hillside part of Napa in the Vaca mountains, characterized by iron rich, rocky and red soils. It was named after Charles Pritchard who homesteaded the top of this knoll and planted vines in the 1880s (where Chappellet's … [Read more...]
Stellareese Wine
Stellareese Wine takes its name from owner and winemaker Rachel Davies' middle name. She released her first vintage in 2007. Rachel was born and raised in Calistoga. Despite growing up surrounded by the vineyards of the Napa Valley, it took her some time before the wine industry took her as one of their "own". It all happened at a barbecue a number of years … [Read more...]
The Vineyard House
The Vineyard House. Jeremy Nickel, the proprietor of The Vineyard House in Oakville continues his family's rich legacy and history in Napa Valley through his own vineyards and wine. His story begins with his father, Gil Nickel, who was one of the founders of Far Niente, founded Dolce and later, Nickel & Nickel. The wines of the Vineyard House pay tribute to … [Read more...]