The Wolfs acquired the historic old Inglewood estate and winery in 1997. The vineyard comprises Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1996 and just 0.4 ha (1 acre) of Cabernet Franc, established in the mid-80s. Total output is tiny at just over 600 cases. The vineyards are naturally low-yielding and the crop rarely comes in much above […]
The Eisele family established this small Chiles Valley property in the early 1970s and the original Cabernet vines were planted in 1975. The vineyards are planted at an altitude between 900 to 1100 feet above sea level and this helps in promoting acidity and gives a slightly mineral edge to the wines. There are now […]
Tor Kenward makes small amounts of top-class Cabernet Sauvignon, a little Syrah labelled Hommage Allan, Grenache Cuvée Cooper from Paso Robles and Chardonnay both from the Hudson and Durrell Vineyards in Carneros. Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a vineyard south of Yountville established with the help of David Abreu using a field selection of clones from […]
Pat Kuleto began establishing vineyards on this eastern Napa ranch in 1993 and there are now plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, all now released varietally, as well as some Muscat. A Rosato is also produced from Sangiovese. Production is approaching 10,000 cases a year, small in winery terms yet […]
One of the original benchmark producers of premium Napa reds, particularly the great Martha’s Vineyard Cabernets. Quality has been up and down during the 1980s and 1990s but the wines are now sounder and they seem generally to be improving. The Bella Oaks and Trailside bottlings are a touch lighter than Martha’s Vineyard but impressive […]
This tiny operation was the first of the now numerous Calfornia cult wineries and the Grace Family is one of the most exalted premium Cabernets in California. It commenced production in 1978 and barely 400 cases are made annually from the family vineyard. This was one of the first vineyards to be planted with close-spaced […]
Ric Forman makes impressive examples of both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon which also includes Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Vineyards established in the early 1980s are the source of his excellent raw material. Planted mainly in volcanic gravel and sand, they are sparse and provide naturally low-yielding fruit. The Chardonnay is rich and lightly […]
Sizeable family-owned and run operation with a broad selection of wines. The Komes’ now own nearly 200 ha (500 acres) of Napa vineyards, providing a considerable resource for their range. Among the flagships are the Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Hillside Reserve and the proprietary red Trilogy, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. […]
This has evolved into a mid-sized operation since it was founded in 1978. The main focus of the operation is Merlot. A good regular Napa Valley bottling is joined by top-end examples from estate fruit as well as two other premium labels from the Rector Creek Vineyard and the Three Palms Vineyard. Examples are also […]
Now a part of the global Beringer Blass group, this winery was established 125 years ago and has always produced wines of good to very good quality at all price levels. Much of this success must be attributed to the skills of winemaking chief Ed Sbragia whose top cuvées remain some of the very best […]
Good, well-priced wines with a focus on Italian varieties. While these have often struggled to achieve the quality in California that they do at home, those of Benessere are among the better examples. The top label Phenomenon is a Sangiovese-dominated blend with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. It is a softer, more opulent and […]
