Teaderman Vineyards

Teaderman Vineyards is owned by Stan and Patti Teaderman. While born in Berkeley, Stan has been a resident of Napa Valley since 1947. In 1961, Stan helped launch the first Miss Napa County Pageant and was involved with subsequent pageants. Stan was also a member of the Napa Bottom Gropers, a group of diving enthusiasts. For a time, Stan was one of their instructors.

His father Herbert (raised in Sebastopol) was initially involved in the plastering business but then transitioned to propane services in 1943. We never met Herb, but we like one of his quotes that he passed on to his family, “The harder you work, the luckier you get”. He operated Empire Gas in Napa Valley from 1948 when he purchased the Napa branch with a business partner until retiring in 1967. They delivered propane to parts of Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Lake counties. For many years the business was located at 3219 Jefferson Street in Napa. The Herbert Teaderman Building or today known as the Teaderman Business Park was constructed on this site in 1986; it is still standing and houses several businesses.

In 1964 Empire Gas opened a showroom at 6774 Washington Street (with a large neon sign advertising their business) focusing on numerous gas related appliances. This space is where Redd Wood Restaurant is currently located. And the prior year Empire Gas installed a 30,000-gallon propane tank in Yountville, which was the largest propane tank in all of Napa County at that time. A mention in the August 11, 1966, edition of the St. Helena Star mentions that Stan had an ‘arresting exhibit’ from Empire Gas at that year’s Napa Town & Country Fair with propane powering a large flame above a pool of water.

In 1967 Stan founded Allied Propane Service in Richmond with the help of his brother and father; today this propane gas business continues to maintain a location in Richmond, another one located south of the city of Napa and a third location in Dixon. Their core business involves delivering propane for residential, commercial, agriculture and construction uses with a coverage area spanning the greater San Francisco Bay area as well as parts of the Sacramento Valley. Stan developed the Allied Clean Fuels Plaza (south of the city of Napa) which opened in 2017. And in 1983 Stan was elected president of the Western Liquid Gas Assocation.

Stan also owns Napa Vintage Storage, one of Napa’s smaller but premier barrel storage facilities for premium wineries. This building is located directly next to his Allied Clean Fuels Plaza. Many of Napa Valley’s wine storage and fulfillment centers are located just south of here.

Stan has been exposed to viticulture and the wine industry for most of his life. In the early 1990s, he served on the board of directors for the Napa Valley Grape Growers Association. In order to continue to pursue their passion for wine, in 1978 he and Patti purchased a 14-acre vineyard located in the heart of Oakville off of Oakville Cross Road; this is prime Napa Valley vineyard terroir. Today producers in Oakville are known for producing some of Napa Valley’s most sought after and expensive red wines. Their nearby neighbors are Silver Oak, Groth and Screaming Eagle. This land was never planted to vine; initially Robert Mondavi helped them develop the vineyard and plant it entirely to Sauvignon Blanc; Mondavi purchased the grapes for his well-known Fumé Blanc.

The Oakville AVA is widely considered the epicenter of Napa Valley’s Cabernet Sauvignon excellence, spanning the valley floor where the Vaca and Mayacamas ranges converge. This district is defined by a unique combination of well-drained gravelly loams and a climate that enjoys just enough afternoon heat tempered by morning fog. At the heart of this region lies the Oakville Cross Road, a legendary stretch of terroir that hosts some of the most celebrated vineyards in the world.

Growing premium grapes along this corridor is an exercise in precision viticulture. The soils here consist of deep alluvial fans that allow for deep rooting and exceptional drainage, which is crucial for concentrating the flavors of the berries. The proximity to the valley’s center ensures a balanced ripening period, producing fruit with a signature profile of minerality, plush tannins, and opulent dark fruit.

And also consider the fact that Teaderman Vineyards features the same gravelly soils and similar terroir to nearby Groth winery who under the wine making skills of Nils Venge produced the first 100 point rated Cabernet Sauvignon from Robert Parker. For vintners, the Oakville Cross Road represents a “sweet spot” where structure and elegance achieve a seamless, world-class equilibrium.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s a nasty little pest called phylloxera infested the soil of a number of Napa Valley’s vineyards and damaged and ultimately killed numerous grape vines that were grafted onto the non-phylloxera resistant AXR rootstock. In 1993, they converted over half of their vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon and sold these grapes for a number of years to a nearby winery.

Then in 2001 under the tutelage of the late winemaker Justin Meyer and co-founder of Silver Oak Cellars, Teaderman Vineyards produced their first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon bottled under Teaderman Vineyards. Today Teaderman employs two well-known Napa winemakers. Nearby Silver Oak’s philosophy regarding aging has rubbed off on Teaderman. Their wines are aged much longer than most Napa wineries and typically receive at least 2 years in the bottle before being released. The Teaderman’s and their winemakers taste the wines over a period of time to determine when they are ready to be released based on aromas, flavor, balance and the wine’s overall integration. Not many wineries are able to have this type of lengthy aging program, but this is certainly not a bad thing from a consumer point of view.

As a long time, Napa grower and vintner, Stan’s enthusiasm and energy regarding his own wine is clearly evident, almost as if he was just starting out in the industry. We suspect these are the same traits he has for life in general.

And continuing to keep family businesses in the family, Stan’s grandson Dustin also works both in their propane business and with their vineyard and wines.

Select Wines
Sauvignon Blanc
In the same philosophy as their Cabernet Sauvignon, their Sauvignon Blanc sees extended aging; at the time of our visit and tasting with Stan, their current release was four years old. Oakville is not known for producing Sauvignon Blanc, especially since the land prices don’t economically make sense for this variety. This very limited production bottling is well worth seeking out.

The 2022 Teaderman Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Oakville is medium straw in color; this was a refreshing find after two hours of tasting robust Oakville grown Cabernet Sauvignon at the annual Taste of Oakville. The nose smells like pineapple guava, kiwi, white peach, star jasmine, white peaches, honeysuckle and ripe honeydew melon. Showcases a California richness, Oakville in particular, but it doesn’t cross the line into the territory of being tropical or overripe. Smells fresh and smells like spring. Balanced, bright and beautiful. On the palate, there are flavors of green apple, not fully ripe kiwi, white nectarine, Sierra Nevada mountain gooseberry, guava, lime and a light note of Piña colada. Mouthwatering. Refreshing. Bring on a warm summer evening, a pool and halibut in a citrus butter sauce.

The 2004 Teaderman Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc is a golden straw color with attractive minerally notes on the bouquet, which opens to additional layers of honeysuckle and tropical aromas as the wine evolves in the glass. The palate is slightly creamy but not overtly so. This wine sits on the lees for 4 months which helps contribute a certain amount of creaminess. This bottling offers pleasing flavors of citrus and tropical fruit overtones. There is a kiss of lasting vanilla on the finish; the wine is certainly not over oaked and is extremely well balanced. A yeast commonly used for Champagne wines is used for primary fermentation; the wine was transferred into the barrels (usually around 20% new oak) still somewhat sweet where it finished its fermentation. And then its aged on its lees with battonage occurring for a few months.

Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2017 Teaderman Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby with a light purple rim. This wine smells fresh like the grapes were just harvested, despite being 8 years post vintage at the time of our tasting (their current release). It’s aromatics include red, cherry, currants and red plums. The palate mimics the bouquet to some extent with flavors of cherry, plum and raspberry. Brightly lit. The oak lingers in the background. We like that. Plush, ripe, bright and soft across the palate, the tannins are finely polished and seamlessly integrated into the finish at this age. Lingers savory, with a red fruited tartness, notes of dried sage and a light drying character.

The 2014 Teaderman Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is deep ruby, opaque, and sports and amaranthine rim; on the bouquet, there are aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, Persian mulberry, baked plums, dark chocolate and espresso. Still highly youthful 11 years post vintage, the juicy palate offers flavors of red chili, red plums, currants, cranberry and a sanguine character. This wine is vivacious, crunchy and its energetic acidity has kept it very much alive. The tannins are still pixelated, edgy and fully coating every nook and crevice across the palate. They far out pace the fruit on the finish at this age. And they persist with a prominent dusty character. Mouthwatering.

The 2003 Teaderman Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic representation of the Oakville floor, showing an appealing vibrancy that makes it drink beautifully even before its official release. While Teaderman wines are renowned for their long-term ageability, this 2003 vintage already possesses a refined and approachable character. The bouquet is immediately expressive, offering a rich concentration of fruit underpinned by very earthy aromas that are a direct signature of their specific estate terroir. These rustic, soil-driven notes are elegantly layered with scents of cured tobacco and sweet vanilla from careful oak aging. On the palate, the wine is remarkably smooth and soft, presenting a multi-dimensional profile of juicy blackberry and ripe black cherry. The tannins are the highlight of the structure; they are delicate and silken, yet sufficiently well-integrated to provide a sturdy backbone that supports a notably lengthy and persistent finish.

The 2002 Teaderman Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a sophisticated and lean expression of Oakville terroir, offering a fascinating departure from the more opulent fruit profiles often found in neighboring vintages. Upon the first pour, the bouquet reveals a profile that is notably less fruit-driven than the 2001, leaning instead into refined, savory aromatics. It greets the nose with refreshing scents of wild mint and a complex medley of assorted dried herbs, such as sage and bay leaf. On the palate, the wine is bright and slightly tart, driven by a lively acidity that gives it exceptional energy and lift. One distinctive characteristic of this bottling is the presence of a light layer of sediment; this is a deliberate result of the Teaderman philosophy of minimal filtration, a technique employed to ensure that the wine maintains its maximum flavor profile and natural texture. In our estimation, the structural balance and “nerve” of this 2002 vintage make it the most accomplished of the three for pairing with a diverse range of cuisine.

During our visit with Stan, we had the distinct pleasure of sampling the 2001 Teaderman Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, a landmark bottling that holds special significance as the estate’s very first commercial release. Time in the bottle has treated this wine exceptionally well, allowing it to transition into a state of graceful maturity while retaining a surprising amount of youthful energy. The nose is remarkably elegant and fruit-driven, greeting the glass with an inviting freshness that is underscored by subtle, sophisticated notes of dried dill. On the palate, the wine reveals a concentrated core of rich dark fruit, prominently featuring blackberries and blueberries that feel plush and fully resolved. These primary flavors are beautifully supported by evolving tertiary layers of cured tobacco and soft, well-worn leather, adding a savory complexity that only comes with patient cellar aging. The mouthfeel is showcases plenty of balance; the tannins have evolved into a state of seamless integration, feeling wonderfully smooth and silky as they glide across the palate into a persistent, refined finish.

NOTE: this review has been identified as needing a major update including tasting notes for current release wines.

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Teaderman produces only a total of about 1,000 cases annually. As a result, they are extremely selectively distributed through specific national markets. As of our latest update to this review, they are distributed internationally in Japan, mostly in Tokyo. We should also mention for the type of inherent quality in these wines the prices are very reasonable. Their wines have been well received at a number of premium restaurants throughout the USA.

The Teaderman’s have been significant contributors to the Queen of the Valley Hospital in the city of Napa.

Those interested in receiving vintage and other update may sign up for their mailing list. For more information, visit: www.teadermanvineyards.com

Note: Stan is also responsible for the Allied Clean Fuels Plaza located at 231 Devlin Road (just south of the city of Napa) and highly visible from Highway 12. This plaza features 8 Tesla supercharger stations where Tesla owners can park and charge their vehicles free of charge. Many Napa wineries have already installed Tesla chargers but those charge the vehicles much slower than these super chargers.

Several other electric charging stations are available for non-Tesla vehicles. The plaza also sells clean-burning fuels including propane Autogas, biodiesel, liquid natural gas and compressed natural gas. And customers driving gasoline powered vehicles can fill up at the Chevron on site. Teaderman’s Pacific Pride gas station also sells renewable diesel. A well-stocked convenience store is located within a short walk of the pumps.