Fluent Wine Company was founded by Rob Harrison with his first vintage produced in 2018. This is a rare Napa Valley producer that does not make red wines; two wines are produced each year, a Sauvignon Blanc from St. Helena and a rosé of Cabernet Sauvignon. Meeting with Rob brought back memories of our first meeting with Dan Petrowski many years ago when he … [Read more...]

Mount George Winery is owned and operated by George and Anne Ulitin; they produced their first commercial wines in 2002. Both are first generation immigrants, Anne from Yorkshire in the United Kingdom while George was born in a displaced persons camp in Austria soon after World War II ended. His father was originally from Russia and his mother is from what … [Read more...]

Marineau Mills was founded by Sébastien Marineau-Mes and Emily Mills Marineau, with their first vintage produced in 2019. They married in Calistoga in 2018 and began looking for a property to build a home. They found and purchased a property in 2018 but it was planted with vineyards; their vision pivoted as that year the grapes fell out of contract and they … [Read more...]

Tusk Estates is a both a partnership and friendship between three individuals, Michael Uytengsu, Tim Martin and Philippe Melka. The focus of their production is entirely on Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from premium and primarily hillside vineyards in Napa Valley based on relationships that both Philippe and Tim have built. They produce two wines each year, the … [Read more...]

Accurso Wines was founded by Waverly and Michael Accurso with their first vintage in 2022. Both are Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduates; Michael majored in Ag Business. Before he graduated in 2010 he took a viticulture class which changed his perspective of the wine industry. A Napa native, he grew up surrounded by friends whose family worked in the business … [Read more...]

Dokdo Wine is operated by Emmanuel Lee; Dokdo made their first wine in 2007 but did not release it. The first commercial vintage of Dokdo was in 2008 produced by Lee and winemaker Robert Shawn Denkler (died 2020). This wine brand is an homage to the Dokdo Islands (in Korean meaning solitary island), two primary rocky islets with disputed ownership for more … [Read more...]

Angelo Owens Wines was founded by Jeff and Valerie Owens with their inaugural vintage produced in 2021; Jeff's father is also a partner in the brand. Jeff and Valerie met at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo; like many students enrolled here, are equally split between northern California and Southern. She was from Orange County and he from Sacramento. Jeff began … [Read more...]

Aspire Wine (not to be confused with The Spire Collection, also in Calistoga) was founded by Phil & Beth Rielly; this 230 acre ranch is perched on the divide between Napa and Sonoma County, with the county line running through their property and roughly dividing their land 50% in each county. The Napa Valley side of the ranch is in the Calistoga sub … [Read more...]

Kingsmark Wine was founded by Dallas based Whitney Skibell. In 1888, Whitney's great great grandfather started Colorado Cooperage Works; his first business was to deliver wood barrels to Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado. Her grandfather, Samuel Rudd, the eldest son worked for the family business. Rudd, a career entrepreneur (died 1986) moved to Wichita … [Read more...]

Stereograph Wines was launched in 2023 and is a partnership between winemaker Sally Johnson Blum and her husband Max; that same year, they founded SJB Winemaking, a full-service winemaking firm providing winemaking services for a number of small brands both in Napa Valley and and outside of the valley. This is a cohesive partnership; Sally makes the wines … [Read more...]