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Sabina Vineyards

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ABOUT US In 2002, David and Susan Sabin established Sabina Vineyards which they named in honor of David’s mother, Sabina Sabin who was the Matriarch of the family. After spending most of their adult lives in Chicago where they raised three, now-grown, children, David and Susan moved to Napa Valley. Together they have created a winery estate based on the small, family-owned Burgundian properties they have visited over years of travel to famous winegrowing regions. Their primary focus is the production of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, and they have made a devoted commitment to organic farming.

Tor Kenward Family Wines

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Tor Kenward Family Wines is a small family owned winery that specializes in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay. Tor Kenward, a Napa Valley vintner for over three decades, is champion of single vineyard wines. "After making wines here for over thirty years I believe the vineyard is the real winemaker. My job is to nurture and stay out of the way of greatness," observes Tor.

Blue Oak Vineyards

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Blue Oak Merlot, which is named for the regal blue oak tree in the backyard, is perhaps California's best merlot — Chicago Tribune. We look forward to visting with the folks at Blue Oak, then we can share a little more with our readers.

Plumpjack Winery

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PlumpJack Winery's story began in 1992 with the opening of a modest wine store in San Francisco's Cow Hollow/Marina neighborhood, known as PlumpJack Wine & Spirits. Founded by Gavin Newsom, the store was designed to create a welcoming space where people could explore and discover wines in a friendly, approachable setting.

The name "PlumpJack" was inspired by one of Shakespeare's most memorable characters, Sir John "PlumpJack" Falstaff, a fun-loving, irreverent figure known for his unbreakable bond of loyalty with Prince Hal (Henry V), shared over many goblets of wine at the local tavern. Embracing this spirit of camaraderie and enjoyment, Newsom, along with acclaimed composer and philanthropist Gordon Getty, envisioned a winery that would embody the essence of Falstaff's character. This vision came to life when they acquired a historic 42-acre estate in the heart of Napa Valley, an area renowned for producing dynamic, long-lived wines that capture the essence of Oakville, with a history dating back to 1881.

The property had changed hands over the years, eventually being acquired by James and Anne McWilliams in 1974. In 1995, the McWilliams received a proposal to revive winemaking at the historic estate, leading to the creation of PlumpJack Estate Winery. The winery was founded with a commitment to crafting high-quality wines that celebrated the land while remaining approachable.

A pivotal moment in PlumpJack's history came in the 1990s when the wine industry faced the growing problem of cork taint, or trichloroanisole (TCA), which caused undesirable flavors in bottled wines. Unwilling to compromise on quality, Getty and General Manager John Conover took a bold step toward innovation. PlumpJack Estate Winery pioneered the use of alternative closures for luxury wines, introducing screw caps with the flagship 1997 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This move eliminated the risk of TCA while ensuring bottle consistency and longevity. To this day, PlumpJack bottles its Estate and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons 50% under screw cap and 50% under cork as part of a long-term experiment.

In 2012, Winemaker Aaron Miller joined the team, continuing the legacy of producing elegant wines that honor the Oakville Estate Vineyard. Under Miller's leadership, PlumpJack achieved significant milestones, with the 2013, 2015, and 2016 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons earning perfect 100-point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate—a testament to the winery's dedication to quality and approachability.

 

 

 

 

Aubert Wines

Aubert Wine Label

Aubert Wines is a boutique producer that is owned and operated by Mark Aubert. He is also the winemaker at Colgin, where he took over for Helen Turley. Until 1999, Aubert was the winemaker at Peter Michael. While working for this Knights Valley winery, he developed the exceptional Les Pavots red Bordeaux blend.Aubert Wines offers limited tasting appointments. Please contact the winery for more information.

Vineyard 29

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Our 17,000 square foot facility was designed by Jon Lail, principal of Lail Design Group, LLC, to reflect the marriage of Chuck’s tech background, and Philippe’s Old World winemaking philosophy. Completed in 2002, the winery is built of stone materials and terraced with landscape plantings to fit beautifully within the natural landscape of the vineyards that surround it. The winery design is gravity flow in nature, increasing the quality of the wine produced and substantially reducing undesirable aeration by pumps and winemaking machinery. Designed to make the least environmental impact, the facility generates its own electricity using microturbines. As a byproduct, this system “co-generates” all the winery’s hot and chilled water and cools the winery’s 13,000 square feet of caves.

Croze Wines

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Croze Wines is operated by Gary Wooten, a long time resident in the Napa Valley. He has worked as winemaker with several smaller area wineries during their formative stages and helped them become established. He currently runs two labels; Croze wines which includes a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc and the second label, Smith Wooten featuring a 100% Cabernet Franc (he originally made a barrel of Cabernet Franc to use for blending purposes but after tasting, found this wine to be excellent as a stand along varietal and ended up bottling it) and a Syrah. Croze ages their wines longer than many area wineries and as a result the current vintages are typically several years older than what you usually find on the market. The barrel aging program usually runs up to 40+ months and all the wines are tasted during this time and are removed from barrel when they are ready, in other words the barrel aging program is not locked into a certain amount of time like you may find with some of the larger wineries.

Dana Estates

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Located on Napa Valley’s western slope, Backen, Gillam & Kroeger designed the renovation of what was the stone ruins of a winery dating back more than 100 years. In addition to creating a hospitality space, the winery’s unique cave system incorporates all other aspects of a winery. Private tastings.

Baldacci Vineyards

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Baldacci Family Vineyards has been a family-owned winery in the Napa Valley for over 25 years, founded by Thomas and Brenda Baldacci in 1998. Today, their son and second-generation vintner Michael Baldacci serves as winemaker, continuing the family’s legacy and dedication to crafting sustainably-farmed, world-class wines.

 

Within each of us lives a legacy, a story waiting to be told.  Stories, like wine, are meant to be shared. Tom Baldacci understands this. Maybe not consciously – but at his core, Tom knows that for a story to become a legacy, it must be shared and passed forward to keep it alive. Almost 30 years ago, Tom drove by the property that now is home to Baldacci Family Vineyards. Where some may have seen an old house and farm in need of repair, Tom saw potential. In the breathtaking views on the Stags Leap property, in the aged vines and gnarled olive trees, Tom saw a story waiting to be told.

Du Vigne Winery

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Since its inception in 2001, Due Vigne Winery has pioneered the production of hand-crafted Italian varietals, cultivated in carefully selected wine regions across California. The winery is committed to sourcing grapes from vineyards with distinct terroir, each suited to enhancing the characteristics of these varietals. From the high-elevation Sierra Foothills to the coastal and forest influences of Monterey County, every bottle of Due Vigne reflects the unique flavors of its terroir. The winery is centrally located in these renowned regions, situated at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg, California, with a mission to create world-class Italian varietals nurtured in Californian soil.

Winemaker Ken Musso can often be found among the vineyards, tending to the rows, stirring the soil, and caring for the vines. His passion for Italian wines is driven by the terroir, or “sense of place,” and his meticulous attention to detail ensures that every bottle of Due Vigne is exceptional.

Ken Musso’s lifelong passion for winemaking began in his youth, inspired by observing his father and grandfather making wine in the basement of a historic San Francisco building. The sight and aroma of fermenting grapes left a lasting impression, strengthening his dedication to winemaking. This passion was further fueled when Ken and his cousin discovered several bottles of their grandfather’s last vintage, a 1937 Zinfandel, igniting his determination to uphold the family tradition.

In 1973, Ken embarked on a thirty-year career in firefighting, temporarily setting aside his winemaking aspirations until the establishment of Due Vigne in 2004. As a relatively new firefighter in 1975, Ken brought his first ton of Zinfandel home from Sonoma in his father’s car and fermented it in the garage, emulating his father and grandfather’s methods. The success of this wine among family and friends inspired him to seek out more grapes, ideally those he could grow himself.

Ken continued to produce wines for family and friends over thirty vintages while refining his winemaking skills through classes and seminars at UC Davis and other educational institutions. In 1995, Ken and his wife Ann realized their dream of establishing a vineyard by purchasing a five-acre parcel in Garden Valley, California, where they planted their acclaimed Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, and Sagrantino.

By 2004, Ken released his inaugural vintage of Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and Cabernet Sauvignon under the Due Vigne label. Since then, Due Vigne has expanded to produce over 3,000 cases annually and offers more than 15 different varietals, many of which are rooted in the Sierra Foothills. Alongside his business partner, Nina Fadelli, Ken Musso has developed a portfolio of well-balanced, richly complex, and distinctive Italian varietals, all cultivated and grown in California’s fertile soil.

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