Excellent red wine. Huge, fruit forward modern cabs... Napa style

In the 1950s and 1960s, a renaissance in the California wine industry emerged as a group of Napa Valley pioneers recognized the region’s potential to meet the evolving tastes of American wine consumers. Among these visionaries was Jay Corley, founder of Monticello, who would go on to establish a winery that, over five decades, would produce more than a thousand wines rated 90 or higher.

Winemaking in Napa Valley dates back to the mid-1800s. The industry thrived throughout the latter part of the 19th century, with hundreds of wineries sprouting across the valley. However, the late 1800s brought devastation in the form of phylloxera, a pest that ravaged over 90% of the valley’s vineyards.

The remnants of the wine industry were further obliterated in 1920 with the onset of Prohibition, which rendered wine production and consumption illegal. Wine grapes were rendered useless for anything other than wine, leading farmers to uproot their vines and replant the valley with prunes, walnuts, and figs in a bid for survival.

In 1969, Jay Corley ventured to Napa Valley seeking land to craft exceptional wines. He acquired a prune orchard from the Prohibition era and established Monticello in 1970. True to his preference for subtlety, Jay chose not to name the winery after himself but instead named it Monticello after Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia estate, modeling the winery’s estate house after Jefferson’s Monticello, inspired by the Palladian architectural style of the Italian Renaissance.

A connoisseur of food and wine, Jay admired Jefferson’s preference for wine over ale, the popular American drink of Jefferson’s era. Jay embraced Jefferson’s belief that “Good wine is a necessity of life” and shared a passion for pairing wine with food.

Although Jay hailed from a family of farmers, he himself was a businessman who recognized his own limitations. He surrounded himself with skilled individuals necessary for producing world-class wines. Decades later, these talents have been carried on by Jay’s own children, who are involved in growing the grapes, making the wines, managing the business, and preparing the way for the third generation of the family. In an era when many of Napa’s pioneering wineries have been sold to conglomerates, Monticello proudly remains one of the few family-owned wineries in the valley.

Kirigin Cellars is one of California’s oldest wineries. We are little-known but have been an enduring part of California’s wine country since 1916. We are located fewer than 30 miles south of downtown San Jose.

Kirigin Cellars is one of the most delightful gems in Santa Clara County, nestled within 33 acres of rolling vineyards, nine acres of cricket lawns, over 1,000 rose bushes, and 100 towering redwood sequoias, all framed by scenic hills and rangeland. The winery’s historic buildings, wine-tasting areas, and a newly added Tuscan-style Club House exude a charming old-world atmosphere.

Since its founding, this family-owned winery has upheld a tradition of offering a relaxed, unpretentious wine-tasting experience with a warm, old-fashioned hospitality. Kirigin Cellars handcrafts small batches of exquisite wines from grapes grown right on the property. Eleven different grape varieties are cultivated here—Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Malvasia Bianca, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Malbec, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel—all of which are crushed within hours of picking at each harvest.

The historic winery opens daily at 10:00 a.m., inviting visitors to explore its wines until 5:00 p.m. The picturesque grounds are also open for picnics and tours, making it a perfect destination for wine lovers.

The Riboli Family WInes Estates/San Antonio Winery in LA offers complimentary tasting and winery tours. The Winery features Riboli Family of Wines and a unique and varied selection from around the wine world. Actually have 3 locations in LA, Ontario east of LA and in Paso Robles.