Betty O’Shaughnessy Woolls & Paul Woolls: Proprietors

Betty O’Shaughnessy Woolls grew up in rural Minnesota, where she developed a strong connection to the land. After completing college, she balanced raising a family with a successful career in real estate investment and development in Minneapolis. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for food and wine eventually led her from owning and teaching at a cooking school in Minneapolis to establishing a winery in Napa Valley.

Upon arriving in Napa, Betty was captivated by the region's natural beauty, vineyards, and favorable climate. In 1990, she purchased a parcel of land in Oakville, which included vineyards and a home site. This land allowed her to reconnect with her love for the soil and the fruits it yields. Over the next few years, she expanded her holdings by acquiring additional vineyards on Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder, providing a diverse source of grapes. By the early 2000s, Betty had constructed a cave, crushed grapes into wine, and designed a winery structure, with the project completed just in time for the 2003 harvest.

Beyond her winery endeavors, Betty remains deeply involved in her community as a volunteer and philanthropist. In 2009, she took on a new role as a Trustee for Napa's Queen of the Valley Medical Center, furthering her commitment to the area.

Paul Woolls, like Betty, has Midwestern roots. He was born near Indiana University and later moved to New Mexico. It was there that he first developed an interest in wine, though he now humorously admits that the brands he initially enjoyed would not be embraced by serious vintners today. His passion for wine grew during college, where he would forgo basic necessities for a month to afford a meal at the only French restaurant nearby. His time in law school and subsequent legal practice further fueled his interest in wine, culminating in a fateful wine tasting event where he met Betty.

Together, Betty and Paul share the ambitious goal of crafting the best possible wines from the exceptional vineyards they manage. They are also blessed with a large family, including numerous daughters and a growing number of grandchildren, predominantly boys. As partners in life and winemaking, Betty and Paul continue their joyful journey at O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery.

Charter Oak Winery is a small boutique producer of the most exceptional Napa Valley red wines made by winemaker Robert Fanucci.

Charter Oak wine is unfined and unfiltered, with the grapes fermented using natural yeast. The winemaker employs tools crafted by his grandfather (Nonno in Italian) to punch down the cap three times a day, working the must into a foaming lather. This unique method sets their wine apart. The winemaker believes that the key to their success lies in the natural fermentation process and the meticulous punch-down of the cap with handcrafted wooden tools, a ritual performed with dedication. Witnessing the sun illuminate the purple grape juice as it bubbles to the surface is a sight the winemaker cherishes deeply, as it nurtures the soul.

After three to four weeks in the fermentation tank, the time comes to separate the skin from the juice, all done by hand using a 100-year-old basket press. The wine is then transferred into barrels using buckets. Although this method is not the most efficient, it adheres to the winemaking tradition passed down from the grandfather. The result is wine that is truly handcrafted, and each bottle reflects a distinct difference from mass-produced alternatives.

Walter Teachworth developed his taste for cabernet sauvignon by drinking aged Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Latour. Joan started sharing Walter's fondness for fine cabs when they met in 1976, and by the early 1990's they knew it was time to move to the Napa Valley. After living in St. Helena a few years, they found the perfect spot to build their own home on Diamond Mountain, south of Calistoga.

St. Supery is a lovely and unpretentious winery. They have a great variety of both whites and reds, and even a rose which is nice and dry,not sweet. Their Virtu and Elu are white and red blends, respectively, which are different each year, but are always interesting.