Chateau Montelena boasts a celebrated history, with the Judgment of Paris being just one notable chapter.
While modern technology enhances the creative possibilities in winemaking, it does not replace the artistry or the people behind it. There are no set formulas in their approach.
Every project at Chateau Montelena is driven by careful consideration and a commitment to shaping their future with determination.
One of the very best wineries in the Napa Valley for visitors; conveniently off of highway 29, the Hall team produces superior wines- Cabernet Sauvignons from their Napa Valley bottling to the Kathryn Hall Reserve, the wines stand as some of the best in USA. Don't miss their Sauvignon Blanc as well, it is racy and bright and very varietal with its beautiful ripe melon and dry citrus flavors.
In 1987, Jim Summers acquired a 28-acre vineyard nestled in Knights Valley, a region located northwest of Calistoga between Mount St. Helena and the Alexander Valley. At the time, the property was predominantly planted with Merlot grapes, established 30 years earlier by Dan Duckhorn, along with some Muscat Canelli. The inaugural vintage of Summers Ranch Reserve Merlot was produced in 1992, yielding 900 cases. Today, the estate also produces Petite Sirah from the Knights Valley vineyard. Known for its warm climate, volcanic soils, and proximity to Napa Valley, Knights Valley has recently garnered increased attention for its Bordeaux varietals.
In 1996, Summers expanded their vineyard holdings by acquiring 25 acres at the intersection of Highway 128 and Tubbs Lane in Napa Valley. This property, now known as Summers Estate Wines, is home to the Villa Andriana Vineyard, named in honor of their daughter. While the estate has been fully revitalized to maximize its potential, the 40-year-old Zinfandel vines are meticulously preserved. The winery and tasting room, surrounded by over 22 acres of Zinfandel, Charbono, and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, strike a perfect balance between pleasure and productivity.
Summers' signature wine is the distinctive Charbono, a varietal believed to be an early Italian adaptation of Charbonneau, a French grape. Some argue it is closely related to the Dolcetto variety, which is commonly grown in northern Italy. The Charbono vine produces large berries that create a deeply colored red wine, known for its rich fruit flavors and low tannin content when subjected to extended skin contact during fermentation.
The Summers Estate, with its scenic vineyard views in Calistoga, California, stands as a testament to the region's rich winemaking heritage.
The Trinity Oaks winemaking team pays close attention to developing California's top vineyards with a focus on coastal climates proven to produce superior, expressive fruit.
Sean Capiaux has an established and notable career at prominent wineries around the world which include: Jordan, Pine Ridge, and Peter Michael in California; Macari, Jamesport and Schneider in Long Island, NY; and Houghton's in Australia. In 1994 Sean launched his own label, Capiaux Cellars, and he presently works as winemaker for O'Shaughnessy winery in the Howell Mountain appellation of Napa Valley
Sean graduated from California State University, Fresno with a B.S. in Enology and a minor in Chemistry. He began his career at Jordan Winery in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley where he worked for two years before joining Houghton Winery located outside Perth in Western Australia. After working the harvest in Australia, Sean returned to the United States to work as the assistant winemaker at Pine Ridge Winery in the Stags Leap district of Napa Valley. Two years later Sean joined Peter Michael Winery in Calistoga as the assistant winemaker where he worked for four years.
Enjoy the laid-back vibe at our Napa Valley tasting room, located just off Highway 29 a mile south of the charming main street of downtown Calistoga. Surrounded by ornately landscaped gardens, our modern farmhouse-style tasting room opens onto a sun-filled courtyard framed by lush vineyards and views of the Calistoga foothills.
Calistoga is a sublime place to taste our Napa Valley/Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc alongside our expressive Pinot Noirs. Fun fact: Some of the fruit selected for the white varietal is from the adjacent estate vineyard.
We had four distinct wines and it was so difficult to choose which ones to go home with! We bought 2 and will be joing their wine club for sure. The grounds were so beautiful ~ such rich history. This small family owned winery is a hidden treasure! The old barn, the cave and the tasting room were so beautiful. I strongly recommend this as your first stop..... it will be hard to find anything better.
Napa Valley isn't quite like Hollywood (yet), where the stars get by on a first-name basis. Even so, what serious wine collector doesn't know who Helen and Heidi are? While the name Philippe may not register so quickly, winemaker Philippe Melka is definitely a Napa winemaker to watch, a man many believe is poised to become one of the valley's hottest consultants since Helen Turley and Heidi Barrett.
When William and Jane Ballentine bought a nineteenth century ghost winery in St. Helena in 1999, little did they know it would take them three years to acquire a permit to open its doors which had been shuttered since Prohibition. The reason: county laws prohibited restoration of abandoned wineries with less than ten acres and the young couple only owned five. After several years working with the county, the Ballentines received a special historic winery ordinance that allowed them to reopen the 1873 winery.
The Stanton family has been growing grapes in the Napa Valley since 1947. They began making their own wine in 1999. For this first vintage and the next three they used grapes exclusively from our Oakville vineyard. In addition to the Oakville property, the Stanton family owns two vineyards in St. Helena.
In 2002, acclaimed winemaker Dave Phinney, joined the Stanton team, lending his talented hands to the ’02 vintage, creating a wine that quickly captured the attention of critics and wine afficianados. A fan of Petite Sirahs, Doug decided to dedicate some of their Petite Sirah production to introduce their first vintage in 2004.
Stanton Vineyards remains, and will remain, a boutique winery, producing about 800 cases total (625 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 180 cases Petite Sirah) under their Stanton Vineyard label. This small production, which accounts for less than 7% of the grapes grown on their properties, allows them to focus on producing both grapes and wine of great character. Because, as Doug, his father John, and grandfather Jesse all agree, the grapes and the soil come first.
