Teachworth

Teachworth is a private exclusive wine estate located in the hills of the Diamond Mountain District. It was founded by Joan Teachworth (she died far too young in 2017); she and her husband Walter (also deceased) were originally from Galveston, Texas. With the intent to enjoy a slower lifestyle and be closer to the wines they enjoyed drinking as well as raise a young family, they moved to Napa Valley in 1991. Their immediate attraction to the property was its remoteness and beautiful vistas.

However, as a number of those who have relocated to Napa in the past, what we call the “Napa allure” kicked in and they soon decided to produce premium wines, similar in quality to the wines they had been enjoying for years from nearby wineries. They purchased 80 acres of rugged undeveloped land on the slopes of Diamond Mountain; despite its perceived remoteness the property is only a few minutes’ drive from the town of Calistoga. A primary mine shaft and several ventilation shafts were built into the hillsides on parts of their property in the 1870s; these are remnants of the Kellett Mine a small cinnabar (quicksilver) and opal mining operation first discovered in 1875. The drainage below the mine is referred to as the Kellett Mine Creek Drainage. In our research about this mine, we came across an article in the Napa Weekly Journal dated May 21, 1885, indicating a lawsuit filed by nearby neighbor Jacob Schram (namesake for Schramsberg) against Samuel Kellett for Kellett letting his sheep wander onto Schram’s property and causing extreme vineyard damage. Incidentally, Kellett owned additional lands in the valley and was also a grape grower in Calistoga with vines planted on the valley floor.

The Teachworths built their home high on the slopes and developed the property including planting 2 acres of vineyards in 1997, entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon ranging in elevation from 700 to 850 feet. The property borders Checkerboard Vineyards to the south and Seaver Vineyards is not far away.

Walter designed and built the small winery on the property with a very focused intent: produce limited production wines from estate grown only fruit and implement an extended aging program (up to three years in barrel and another 1-2 years in bottle before releasing). The first vintage of Teachworth was from 2000.

Joan was born and raised in Nebraska and for some twenty plus years divided her time between Galveston and her Napa property. She told us she was first introduced to fine wine in the 1970s, a time when she and Walter refined their palates by drinking renowned French producers Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Latour. Of course, back then, they were spending under $10/bottle for these wines.

Walter was born in Houston and began his real estate business in 1962 in Galveston by designing and building an apartment complex; he later built or purchased other real estate. Today their son Christopher manages the family business and lives in Galveston while their daughter Laura is an interior designer who lives in Hawaii.

Historically this was one of the smallest producers in Napa Valley as their annual production was usually a little over 100 cases. Three wines were made in the early years: one each from their two vineyards and a final estate blend from both vineyards. Two distinctly separate organically grown vineyards with specific soil and sun conditions on the property comprise their final 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. These distinct vineyards, despite being located so close to each other produced different styled wines; one was called Rattlesnake Hill and the other Manzanita Ridge. Both steep hillside vineyards total almost two acres, so the availability of premium grapes is very limited.

2013 was the last year three wines were produced from the estate; moving forward production focuses on a single estate blend of their two vineyards as well as a Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain and a Pinot Noir. Total production is still small, although it has now grown to around 600 cases per year.

There have been numerous challenges from nature over the decades. Merely one barrel of wine was produced in one early vintage due to a mass infestation of wild turkeys which devastated their almost ripe crop. Another year raccoons got into their vineyard and enjoyed much of fruit. Today they have to net their vineyards to keep the animals out.

In 2020 the Glass Fire burned through the Teachworth property, significantly burning the primarily Douglas fir forested slopes and various chaparral and unfortunately destroying the primary residence. Fortunately, the winery was not damaged, and a small guest house also survived. In 2022 three additional vineyard blocks were prepared for vineyards, one about 3 acres, another 1.5 acres and a tiny less than an acre block next to the guest house. Rootstock for these vines was planted in Spring 2023. With parts of these new sites showing a deeper root penetration zone, certain blocks within the vineyard may eventually be dry farmed.

Teachworth produced wines in 2020 as they harvested the day the Glass Fire started, before Napa Valley filled with smoke. It was an extremely challenging harvest, having to operate the winery off of a generator and protecting the fermenting wines in tank from smoke during pump-overs.

The estate has some of the best views in Napa Valley and is exquisitely landscaped with azaleas and rhododendrons; during Walt and Joan’s ownership, six waterfalls would cascade down past the steep lengthy driveway. A beautiful reflecting pool is surrounded by tall palm trees located on the lower slopes of the property. The entrance to the very small cave used to also feature waterfalls which always created a nice ambiance under the surrounding trees.

The micro winery on site contains a small barrel room, a semi-outdoor ‘tank’ room and very limited space within the cave for aging wine (one of the smallest winery caves in the valley). Grapes from each of their vineyard blocks are fermented and aged separately until the final blend which occurs just before bottling. Wine maker, Phil Steinschriber was their founding consulting winemaker (noted for his long-time work as vineyard manager and winemaker at Diamond Creek Vineyards). Winemaker Denis Malbec made the the wines from 2011-2013. Winemaker Taylor Berkley Boydstun (originally from Illinois) was hired in early 2018 and finished the wines from the 2017 vintage. His first full vintage at Teachworth was in 2018. He was first introduced to Teachworth by a former tasting room manager at Larkmead who knew the Teachworths (Taylor worked at Larkmead’s tasting salon in 2011).

Select Wines
During one of our earliest visits, we tried a vintage directly from the barrel; the Manzanita Ridge showcases a more opulent nose of the two wines with plenty of depth on the palate. Rattlesnake Hill was already well layered with flavors of blackberry and subtle chocolate overtones. Despite being very young wines of course, they both were already showing nuances of how they will be tasting in several years. And the Teachworth estate wines are noted for showing a certain savory quality which tends to be consistent from vintage to vintage.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Diamond Mountain
The 2022 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley is deep ruby and nearly opaque; ripe but also with some floral influences including lavender, an aromatic that distinctly reminds us of a lavender pillow we keep in our car. This wine also smells red plums, dark raspberry, red cherry, currant, a sweet tobacco spice, sandalwood and dark olive. Ripe, an expression of a hot and challenging vintage, this wine tastes red fruited like raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, Santa Rosa plums and mulberry. The tannins are broadly dispersed with a gravelly, grainy, dusty and drying grip that outpaces the fruit on the finish. There is a bright acidity here which helps temper the ripe fruit. Its ABV is 14.5%, on the higher end of the spectrum for Teachworth. Instead of a longer term aging, drink this in the next 5-7 years.

The 2021 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District; this wine is deep ruby and nearly opaque. The ripe, yet bright and sweetly fruited bouquet offers scents of blackberry jam, boysenberry, dark mulberry, black cherry and Santa Rosa plum. While the fruit is the star of the show here, there are some additional supporting aromatics including of dark chocolate, cocoa powder and assorted baking spices. Its listed ABV is a refreshing 13.5%, although from aromatics alone, we strongly suspect in reality its higher. However, the palate is not as ripe as the bouquet would lead one to believe; its higher toned red-fruited flavors include red cherry, boysenberry, Persian mulberry, currant, red plums, and blackberry. Savory in terms of its vibrant acidity in combination with some spice tones, the finish lingers with a tart profile and flavors of dried herbs including sage, smoked cedar and a hint of dark pepper. The tannins are broadly coating and persistent with a drying and chalky tug. Texture eventually outpaces fruit and acidity, but it takes some time. Still they aren’t out of balance. We like that this wine is bottled in light weight glass.

The 2020 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley is deep ruby and nearly opaque; the bouquet shows a savory edge and some character, hard pressed to find in many contemporary Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. Its scents include of dried sage, dried bay leaf, damp potting soil, mushroom, smoked cedar and a note of dark cocoa powder; theses aromatics dominate the fruit. Its fruit include Satsuma plum and boysenberry. Brightly lit, still tight, but a lighter expression in general of other Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignons. This wine is red fruited with flavors of cherry, plum, currant, and boysenberry with finishing flavors of dried sage, dried bay leaf and tobacco. We wouldn’t necessarily put this into the category of being a long term cellar play. The tannins aren’t necessarily course or edgy, but they are still very much tightly woven at 6 years post vintage.

The 2019 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley is deep ruby in color with a very subtle transition in color, showing brickish hues. The bouquet offers a light bottle bouquet including sweet mature fruits; its aromatics include Satsuma plum, raspberry, boysenberry, dark cherry, dark cocoa powder, old cedar box, dried rose petals and savory elements including creosote, dried sage and sweet tobacco leaf. This is perceived as a ripe expression of Teachworth with a clear focus on the fruit; primarily red fruited this wine tastes like raspberry, cherry, red plums, boysenberry, mulberry, currant and cranberry. Finishes with a tart character and lively acidity preserving its freshness at 7 years post vintage. The tannins are seamlessly integrated, gentle with a well-rounded texture. Easy drinking.

The 2012 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District Napa Valley is deep ruby and nearly opaque; showing bottle bouquet, mature and sweeter fruits, this wine smells like cherry pie, blackberry jam, boysenberry spread, fig jam, black licorice, mocha, cocoa powder, milk chocolate and espresso. At 14 years post vintage, there is still plenty of fruit here, but its starting to transition tertiary. Aging extremely well on the palate and very much still fresh from its lively acidity, this red fruited expression offers flavors of red cherry, Santa Rosa plum, currant, cranberry, not fully ripe boysenberry and blueberry. Finishes with a persistent tart tug from the red fruits and the accompanying juicy acidity. The tannins are still grainy and gravelly, broadly dispersed with a persistent dusty and drying character. Its ABV is 13.8%. Still has years of head of it.

Founders
The 2017 Teachworth Cabernet Sauvignon (founder’s vintage) is dark ruby in the glass; the bouquet offers layers of aromatics including old cedar box, a baseball mitt after use on a hot summer day, dark plums, black mulberries, and deeper in the nose, mocha, espresso and dark chocolate. The palate is intensely flavored and rich featuring flavors of dark plum, blackberry, blueberry and dark chocolate. The moderate grip of tannins shows as dusty with a light dryness; they are rounded in their textural feel. A burst of brightness from the lively acidity continues onto the finish along with a note of dried tobacco. This wine is very well balanced and unlike many of Napa Valley’s contemporary higher alcohol Cabernet Sauvignons, is only 13.5% alcohol. This year, the grapes were harvested in early October, merely two days before the devastating Tubbs Fire started (burned from Calistoga to Santa Rosa, causing significant damage and destruction in its path including burning nearly 6,000 structures in Santa Rosa).

Estate Blend
The 2013 Teachworth Estate Blend is dark crimson in the glass; the appealing bouquet showcases impressive aromatic layering. It opens with notes of milk chocolate, tobacco leaf, and cassis, complemented by a subtle sweetness of fruit that adds richness without excess. As the wine continues to breathe, additional complexity unfolds, revealing dessert spice influences including cinnamon, clove, and toffee. On the palate, the wine is very well balanced, offering a harmonious mix of both red and darker fruit flavors, supported by slightly dusty, well-integrated tannins that provide structure without overpowering the fruit. The texture is polished and cohesive, carrying through to a lingering finish marked by darker spices, dried tobacco leaf, and a touch of pepper.

Manzanita Hill
The 2013 Teachworth Manzanita Hill Cabernet Sauvignon has held up well and was drinking beautifully during our tasting nine years post vintage, with the structure and balance to suggest at least a few more years of graceful evolution ahead; it is dark ruby in color with a slight brickish tint at the rim, an early visual indicator of its maturity. The bouquet has developed an array of tertiary characteristics from bottle age, including inviting notes of baking spice, graham cracker, and a subtle toasted nuance, layered over softened dark fruit. On the palate, the wine is very well balanced, with integrated flavors and a cohesive texture. The finish leans slightly savory, revealing notes of dark pepper and dried tobacco leaf, supported by dusty yet rounded tannins that provide gentle structure without harshness.

In years past, Teachworth would age their wines in New French oak for 30+ months and then another year or two in the bottle before releasing them commercially. As a result, their current releases were often 5 and 6 years old – wines that saw extended aging before being released to the consumer. Their winemaker has since dialed back the amount of time for oak aging and the wines are released slightly younger than in years past which may contribute to potentially a longer aging window.

Pinot Noir
While historically never known as a Pinot Noir producer (and still not), in 2016 Teachworth produced their first Pinot Noir because this is a variety that Chris enjoys drinking. The grapes for this wine are sourced from multiple clones which originated from cuttings taken from old Robert Mondavi grown Pinot Noir by vintner Bob McKenzie. The vines producing these grapes are growing in McKenzie Mueller Winery’s Oak Knoll Vineyard.

The 2019 Teachworth Pinot Noir (produced from clones 666, 777 and 828) was fermented about 40% whole cluster and spent 18 months in oak barrels. This wine is pale to medium ruby in color; it offers more earth and spice characteristics on the bouquet than a more fruit forward wine from this variety. The bouquet initially shows aromas of forest floor, mushroom, truffle oil, sweet tobacco, white pepper, root beer and dried herbs and as it evolves in the glass offers more fruit aromatics including of cherry cola. There are also notes of baking spices including a hint of Graham Cracker. This wine is soft and supple across the palate with flavors of licorice, red cherry, red plum and some light darker spices including dried tobacco leaf and cloves that linger. Finishes bright with a very light influence of dusty textured tannins. We also tasted this wine seven years post vintage, it continues to hold its character and show well.

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Visits are for serious wine enthusiasts; tastings are often with Taylor and offer an unscripted look at a small hillside Napa Valley winery operation.

Note the specific yellow color of the Teachworth label; Walter used to enjoy drinking Cutty Sark Whiskey and this is the same shade of yellow on their bottles. Their wines used to be selectively available in higher end wine shops in Napa Valley but now their wines are entirely sold direct to consumer. Select older vintages are often available for purchase through their website. For more information, to schedule a visit or to join their mailing list, or one of three allocation membership offerings (3, 6 or 12 bottles shipped once a year upon release), visit: www.teachworthcabs.com

T. Berkley
Taylor also produces his own brand, T. Berkley Wines with a focus on Chenin Blanc (from Redwood Valley in Mendocino County) and multiple expressions of Cabernet Franc from various vineyard sites. Just those two varieties. Loire Valley inspired. His first vintage was in 2016 and production is currently around 1,000 cases per year, primarily from non-Napa Valley vineyards. And in 2022 T. Berkley produced its first sparkling wine. These wines are also tasted along with several of the Teachworth wines, including always an older Teachworth vintage.

And for a very short while in 2023, T. Berkley was one of three wineries represented at Outland Wines in downtown Napa. This space has since transitioned to another tasting room and the T. Berkley wines are no longer available for tastings here.

Select Wines
Whites
Chenin Blanc
After a few years of age, the T. Berkley Chenin Blanc wines change fairly dramatically both on the bouquet and the palate and come out of a more ‘closed phase’. Taylor has noticed they develop a sheep’s wool lanolin character. And we also noticed a difference in richness on older vintages which develop more complexities versus the current release bottling. Taylor’s Chenin Blanc is sourced from vines planted in 1980 from the Norgard Vineyard in Mendocino County.

The 2023 T. Berkley Norgard Vineyard Chenin Blanc; this wine is medium gold in color. Minerally, chalky and saline, the bouquet brings everything we love to the table from this variety. Additional aromatics include lanolin, citrus blossom, jasmine, comise pear, pineapple, Golden delicious apples and a lemon zest. This is a bright and a well focused expression of the variety, in terms of the interplay of fruit, acidity and texture. This wine tastes like green apples, kiwi, guava, gooseberry, honey dew melon and a minerally element including of chalk. Persists with a saline and briny character. Its texture is lightly silky with a rounded feel, but this is lifted effortlessly and very high by the vibrant and persistent acidity. Extremely age worthy, but still highly youthful at only three years post vintage.

The 2018 T. Berkley Norgard Vineyard Chenin Blanc is medium golden, showing a darker hue from its time in bottle. For reference we tasted this 8 years post vintage. On the bouquet there are aromas of lanolin, chamomile, apricot, a light note of petrol which perhaps will start developing more with time. And there are additional notes of dried straw, walnut skin, beeswax, dried straw, and vanilla wafer. Very much brightly lit and dancing the tango, energetically at this age, this wine tastes like gold apples, mandarin orange, kiwi, not fully ripe pineapple, guava and a citrusy influence. The bright acidity is going to keep this wine aging gracefully and slowly for years to come. We are not sure contemporary Napa Valley Chenin Blanc will last quite as long as this beauty. And as a friend mentioned, perhaps pair this with fried chicken – our recommendation, Brasswood in St. Helena. Finishes with a phenolic grip, light but lingering with a persisting dusty and drying character.

Sparkling
The 2023 T. Berkely Blanc de Franc is a white wine made from Cabernet Franc, Sonoma Valley. This wine is medium gold in color; on the bouquet there are bright and expressive aromatics of golden delicious apples, bruised apples, pineapple, and some floral characteristics including citrus blossom and honeysuckle. Finishes with a light toasted element including of toasted almond and hazelnut. Intensely fruited, this wine tastes like golden apples, guava, golden kiwi, tangerine, Meyer lemon and a finishing note of pomelo. Zesty, lively and filled with energy, the palate finishes fresh and immediately invites another sip. We guarantee you will have a hard time finding many other sparkling wines from Cabernet Franc. Its ABV is 12.0%.

Reds
Cabernet Franc
These wines are fermented in approximately 30% new French oak and also in concrete barrels.

Thalia Vineyard
The 2023 T. Berkley Wines Cabernet Franc, Thalia Vineyard Knights Valley is from a site at 1,000 feet ASL. Deep ruby in color. This wine smells savory with aromas of cracked peppercorn, shishito pepper, red chili, dried tobacco leaf, dried rose petals, lavender, menthol, blueberry, not fully ripe plum, and a light ferrous/rusting iron element. Perhaps more fruit than anticipated on the palate after nosing the bouquet, this red fruited and higher toned beauty offers flavors of cherry, currant, cranberry, unripe boysenberry, Persian red mulberry, dried tobacco leaf and menthol. Expressive, the bottling clearly shows the typicity of this variety better than most Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley. The tannins are still tightly woven, persisting with a fully palate coating feel, showcasing a grainy texture.

McKenzie Mueller Vineyard
The 2019 T. Berkley Wines Napa Valley Cabernet Franc is from the McKenzie-Mueller owned vineyard in the Oak Knoll District. The oldest Cabernet Franc vines were planted on the property in 1978 and Taylor only sources from these vines. This wine is dark ruby and purplish in color; the bouquet offers aromas of lavender, violets, old cedar box, white pepper and sage along with some brambly fruit influence including blackberry. The fruit shows more on the bouquet as the wine continues to breathe. This wine is very approachable in its youth; it offers flavors of red plum and blackberry with supple and rounded chalk-like tannins. Its texture is a highly appealing characteristic. The finish lingers with both red and darker fruit flavors accompanied by mouthwatering acidity and a note of dried tobacco.

Big Ranch Ranch Vineyard
The 2022 T. Berkley Wines Cabernet Franc, Big Ranch Vineyard Oak Knoll District Napa Valley is deep ruby and nearly opaque – color extraction was not an issue with this bottling. Its aromatics are compelling, with notes of rose petals, lavender, a sweet tobacco spice, shishito/jalapeno pepper, white pepper, and Satsuma plum, red cherry, and boysenberry. Superbly balanced at four years post vintage, and filled with a vivacious acidity from the juicy acidity, this is an exceptionally expressive bottling from a warm and challenging vintage. Still tightly woven at four years post vintage, the palate is a tug between red fruits, acidity and texture, with neither one attribute dominating. This wine tastes like currant, tart cherry and red mulberries, and light but lingering notes of jalapeno pepper and white pepper. The tannins are grainy, pixelated, tight and still finding their place on the palate. This wine is still very much on an upward trajectory with probably 7-10 years ahead of it before it starts peaking. And it will remain at a peak for years after.

The 2019 T. Berkley Wines Cabernet Franc, Big Ranch Vineyard Oak Knoll District Napa Valley is from a site planted at about 60 feet ASL. These wines were planted in 1978. This wine is medium to deep ruby in color; the bouquet immediately smells like the variety with plenty of accompanying spices and floral notes including shishito pepper, dried tobacco leaf, red chili spice, crushed peppercorn, rose petals, dried herbs including sage, bay leaf and tobacco. Not overtly green, but showing some herbal characteristics. Lifted high by a juicy acidity, this wine sings soprano and still tight, at three years post vintage, this wine tastes like Satsuma plum, blueberry, boysenberry and dark currant. Finishes red fruited, tart with tannins that are gravelly and dusty textured. For reference, this wine was opened two days before we tasted it and was double decanted. It takes oxygen well in its youth.