The Napa Valley Reserve is Napa Valley’s premiere private wine estate – a luxurious setting in rural surroundings nestled against the lower hills of the Vaca mountains. This member only club is located in the heart of Napa Valley only about a 5-minute drive from the nearby town of St. Helena. Founder and vintner William (Bill) Harlan initially began acquiring this property in the early 1980s – originally a cattle ranch and later a farm, Mr. Harlan is only the 3rd owner of the property since California became a state in 1850. He completed the purchase of this historic site in 2000, (his private residence used to be here) and in the subsequent two years cleared parts of the land and planted vineyards.
The property is 80 acres which when fully planted, contain 60 acres of grapes. Over 700 olive trees (multiple cultivars) are planted on site and olive oil is also produced for members. The trees were originally planted by the Talcott’s, Nina and Jim – both of whom owned Napa Valley based olive oil companies (but have since sold their respective companies). The property spans both sides of the Silverado Trail from the boundary of Meadowood Napa Valley (a gorgeous Relais & Châteaux property) along Meadowood Lane to Old Howell Mountain Road and on the west side of the Silverado Trail. However, the majority of the vineyards are located on the eastern side of Silverado Trail.
Meadowood was proposed in 1961 by developer Freeman Nicholls; he owned a home at the time near St. Helena and was also president of Pla-Vada Development Corporation which developed the still existing PlaVada Woodlands, a community association located next to interstate 80 near Donner Pass in the the Sierra Nevada mountains. At the time the total investment in building both private housing and recreational facilities at Meadowood were 20 million USD. It was then known as the Meadowood Suburban Club, or simply referred to as Meadowood. The initial construction occurred over the span of several years in the early 1960s; by summer 1964 the resort was already hosting a variety of events. The golf course opened for the first time on May 23, 1965. From the beginning it was known as an exclusive resort, a characteristic that is still very much a part of contemporary Meadowood.
For decades, Meadowood was home to Auction Napa Valley, one of the country’s largest charity wine auctions, held the first week of every June. Harlan was on the planning committee for the very first auction hosted in 1981. Until being destroyed by the 2020 Glass Fire, the Restaurant at Meadowood was one of two three-star Michelin restaurants in Napa Valley – the other being the French Laundry.
Mr. Harlan is a highly influential figure in Napa Valley, known for shaping the region into a global symbol of luxury wine. Originally successful in real estate, he used his wealth to pursue a vision of creating world-class vineyards inspired by the great wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. In 1984, Harlan founded Harlan Estate in Oakville, aiming to produce a “first growth” California wine that could rival Europe’s finest. His dedication to hillside vineyards and meticulous craftsmanship helped establish Harlan Estate as one of the most prestigious and sought-after wineries in the United States.
Beyond Harlan Estate, he expanded his influence through projects like BOND and Promontory. Through innovation, long-term vision, and a commitment to excellence, Bill Harlan has played a major role in elevating Napa Valley’s reputation worldwide.
Today Harlan co-owns Meadowood with Stan Kroenke, the proprietor of Napa Valley’s Screaming Eagle Winery and California’s central coast based Jonata and The Hilt. Kroenke is the largest private landowner in the U.S. and is best known for his vast sports and real estate empire. Born in 1947, he built his fortune primarily through property development, particularly by partnering with major retailers like Walmart to create shopping centers across the United States. Over time, he expanded into sports ownership, becoming one of the most influential figures in global sports.
Kroenke owns a wide range of teams under Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, including the Los Angeles Rams, the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche, and the English football club Arsenal F.C.. His teams have achieved significant success, highlighted by the Rams winning Super Bowl LVI and the Nuggets securing their first NBA championship in 2023.
Of all the premium resorts and places to stay in Napa Valley, Meadowood is always our number one recommended choice. Time spent at this property ‘feels’ different, with all aspects of a visit or a stay felt as being elevated. Its ‘hidden’ location is part of its appeal, but it also offers elegant accommodations, a championship golf course, and refined dining. Once home to a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Meadowood has long been a symbol of sophistication, blending natural beauty with exceptional service and wine country charm.
The Napa Valley Reserve was designed by Howard Backen (died 2024) of Backen & Gillam Architects, Backen’s firm has overseen the construction of a number of premium wineries in the Napa Valley including Harlan Estate, BOND and Futo Estate among others – as well as Poetry Inn, Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute in Utah and other prominent international properties. The property features a timeless elegance – from the exterior, visually blending in with its surroundings and from the interior featuring a wine country rustic charm and a number of tranquil spaces.
An interesting historical footnote: what is now Alejandro Bulgheroni Winery (on nearby Meadowood Lane) housed the production of several of the first Napa Valley Reserve wines – as well as some of the early trial wines for PROMONTORY, another Bill Harlan owned winery.
Out of the more than 1,250 unique Napa Valley based wineries, brands or tasting rooms we have visited and written about to date, we are always acutely focused on identifying some of the valley’s most memorable properties. Somewhat loosely formulaic in our approach, first and foremost we always look at the vineyard site. Other attributes include history, overall pedigree of the property, personalities, architecture, wine accolades, creativity and a refined thread of exclusivity. While not a commercially producing winery, The Napa Valley Reserve ticks off all of our desired check boxes and offers guests a direct connection to the Harlan lifestyle and this land.
Because the wines are produced for members, none of The Napa Valley Reserve wines are for sale nor are the individual member wines. This makes owning wines from a special piece of the Napa Valley that much more special. At this heightened level of attention in both the vineyard and the winery, the wine becomes like a living piece of fine art – to be collected and enjoyed for what it is, but also to be highly appreciated for the significant work and creativity that went into its journey from vineyard to bottle. And to be cherished for its pedigree – not only for the unique vineyard site but equally as important for the wine making efforts of its creators.
And the team overseeing the operations is impressive including Bob Levy, Director of Wine Growing to winemaker Marco Gressi and until he passed in 2026, consulting winemaker Michel Rolland who provided his input into the wines once a year and vineyard managers Mary Maher and Mark Griffin. The winemaking team is always striving for incremental improvements in quality – beginning in the vineyard but in the cellar as well. Recent acquisitions include locally made concrete fermentation tanks, 40-hectaliter casks for aging the wines further and using amphorae for select aging.
Select Wines
Sauvignon Blanc
The 2016 Napa Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is from a vineyard located in Pope Valley. A small block of this variety is also located on the estate in a slightly cooler part of the property but was not used in the 2016 vintage. Sauvignon Blanc from the estate was first used in their 2018 vintage. Golden yellow in the glass the 2016 vintage offers intriguing aromatics including floral nuances (honeysuckle and jasmine) complemented nicely with mandarin, kumquat and a lime zest. Flinty with mineralities the wine is nicely balanced across the palate. Flavors of gooseberry and granny smith apple. Two characteristics on the palate stand out – the supple mouth feel and the bright lively acidity especially the crispness that lingers. This is acidity that dances across the palate without being overtly tart.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2015 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon offers attractive aromatics, immediately showing bright fruit including red cherry and raspberry accompanied by hints of dust and tobacco leaf. With a bit of time in the glass the bouquet continues to evolve, revealing additional layers of French vanilla, milk chocolate and subtle darker baking spices including clove. The palate is balanced and expressive, carrying the red-toned fruit forward while maintaining a pleasing freshness. These are well-defined tannins, but they are supple, integrated, fine-grained and superbly polished, providing both structure and an appealing sense of refinement. A lingering hint of cigar smoke appears on the finish, adding a savory complexity. The feel of the tannins is a highly appealing textural attribute to this wine, giving it both elegance and persistence.
The 2009 Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is noticeably dark ruby in the glass, immediately suggesting both concentration and depth. The bouquet reveals an intriguing elegance of aromas, opening gradually rather than all at once. Diverse in its aromatic approach, it offers black fruit including ripe plum and blackberry accompanied by a darker spice element reminiscent of an old cedar box along with a subtle hint of dust. As it continues to breathe, the aromatics become increasingly refined, emphasizing the varietal purity of Cabernet Sauvignon rather than pronounced influences from its barrel aging. Deftly balanced across the palate, the wine shows both power and composure. The tannins are slightly chalky, darker in character, rounded and well knit into the structure of the wine. They provide both grip and shape while never overwhelming the fruit. The finish is long and persistent, carrying notes of dark fruit and spice with a lingering sense of structure and depth. We tasted this wine 10 years after vintage, and it shows like a much younger wine, still vibrant and remarkably fresh. There is clearly plenty of life still ahead of this beauty.
And a very limited production, 100 cases of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is crafted every year for members to enjoy when visiting.
Library wines dating back to 1997, the inaugural vintage of the Napa Valley Reserve, are kept at the winery and are available to members.
Membership
The focus of a membership at The Napa Valley Reserve is access to premium grapes from the estate vineyard and the availability of a humble yet star-filled winemaking team. Members are allocated their own row of grapes signed with a plaque at the end of the row and can be as involved as they like during harvest including harvesting grapes, sorting, barrel tasting or blending among other opportunities. Some members design their own labels.
And of course, the social aspects and benefits. A number of primarily wine-related and educational events are offered throughout the year including comparative tastings, blending sessions and wine and food pairing experiences. One of the harvest highlights for members is the annual Harvest Weekend Celebration at The Napa Valley Reserve (typically held the first weekend in October). Guests from around the world gather at The Napa Valley Reserve to meet up with old friends, make new friends, put in a few hours work in the vineyard and cellar if desired and enjoy several epic meals including the Welcome and Gala dinners.
And combining wine, food and travel, select trips overseas are available to members focusing on wine regions.
With no shortage of event space, the property is ideal for hosting lunches, dinners and other celebratory events. The culinary team at nearby Meadowood Napa Valley often provides catering services. One of the larger caves in the Napa Valley (45,000 square feet), the cave is foremost a working winery. But it also functions as storage for library wines, a wine vault containing wine lockers for members to store their wines and also can be used selectively for events.
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For more information about becoming a member of the Napa Valley Reserve, and or to inquire about membership, please visit: www.thenapavalleyreserve.com
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