Opus One. With the combined efforts of two enterprising and well-respected individuals in the world of wine, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, (at the time, owners of Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley), the creation of this winery played a significant role in elevating the stature and reputation of … [Read more...]

Orin Swift Cellars was founded by winemaker Dave Phinney in 1998 when he was only 24 years old. Dave has a long history of winemaking at premium wineries in Napa Valley including Robert Mondavi Winery and Whitehall Lane. He paid tribute to his parents with the name of this winery; Orin is his father's middle name and Swift is his mother's maiden name. He … [Read more...]

Keever Vineyards are located in foothills of the Mayacamas mountains (about 300 feet above the valley floor) close to the Yountville Veterans home, just south and west of the town of Yountville. Olga Keever (who we first met with) is married to Bill Keever, a graduate of Napa High School. Bill's father Marvin worked in the telephone industry for 4+ … [Read more...]

Kelham Vineyards is located on the midpoint of Zinfandel Lane just south of the town of St. Helena; visits are by appointment. This creative and intriguing family has spent years developing what was the old Shadow Brook Winery into a beautiful estate. Shadow Brook was originally founded in 1984 (the first harvest) by restauranteur Emil Hoffman who had … [Read more...]

Kenefick Ranch is a family run vineyard and wine producer located near the small town of Calistoga in the northern part of Napa Valley at the base of the nearby lower hills of the Vaca mountain range. While somewhat hidden, this part of the valley is home to several old head-pruned vineyards and notable nearby producers include Eisele and Kelly Fleming. … [Read more...]

Krupp Brothers Winery was founded as a partnership between Dr. Jan Krupp and his brother Bart (died in New Jersey in early 2024) as well as ownership coming from a Gordon Getty trust as well as other investors. The brothers (with Jan being the face of the business) are known for developing a sizable property (Stagecoach Vineyards) located nearly at the end … [Read more...]

Mario Bazán Cellars is owned by husband and wife Mario and Gloria Bazán. Mario is originally from Oaxaca and Gloria is from Morelia, Michoacan - Mexico. Mario was working in a restaurant in Mexico City when he decided to immigrate to California for a short time and after a brief stint in Oakland decided the city wasn't for him. He moved up to Napa Valley in … [Read more...]

pureCru Wines was originally established as the result of a business partnership between winemaker Mitch Cosentino (we who we have met several times over the years, including sitting down with for this review), a grocer broker, a real estate developer and an oncologist. Mitch enjoys both winemaking and golf (both interests shared by the partners), and he and … [Read more...]

Truchard Vineyards is located in the Carneros District in southern Napa Valley. The vineyards and winery were founded by Tony and Jo Ann Truchard in 1974. They sold grapes exclusively until 1989 when they began making their own wine. They prefer to think of themselves as a "big vineyard with a small winery"; the reasoning behind this is they carefully … [Read more...]