Tony and Kimberly Kirk established Birdstone Winery with the goal of producing world-class wines from Madera-appellation grapes. A friends and family effort from the start, Birdstone’s winemaking team includes Tony, Kimberly and their sons Travis & Conner. It’s not uncommon to find Tony & Kim’s siblings, parents or friends behind the bar in the Tasting Room or helping to crush grapes during harvest.

Burrell School's origins date back to 1854 when Lyman J. Burrell settled the rough wilderness that is now home to Burrell Winery & Vineyard. Carrying on the more than 130 year old tradition at the School, David and Anne Moulton began development of the Estate Vineyard in 1973. At 1,600 foot elevation, the site faces the southwest. Soils are a complex mixture or loam and shale due to the close proximity of the San Andreas Fault. Nearby Monterey Bay brings warm days and cool nights The result is a unique microclimate, perfect for long, slow ripening of the grapes in the vineyard.

When British ex-patriots Perry and Carolyn Butler moved to California in 1982, they never dreamed they would own 42 acres of prime vineyard land in the heart of Napa Valley. They arrived in California as high-tech pioneers and founded their own computer company in the San Francisco Bay area. After routine 80-hour work weeks, the couple relaxed during weekend trips to Napa Valley, where they were bitten by the wine bug. Dreams of high-tech dominance soon turned to thoughts of returning to the land and grape growing. Our tasting included the 2006 Perry's Blend at $75, a blend that has more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 which has more Cabernet Sauvignon and sells for $80. The 2006 is 47% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, with only 665 cases produced. The 2007 is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, with 672 cases produced. The 2007 was described by the winery as possessing a "tremendous aromas of flowers, blue, red and black fruits, graphite and forest floor" but both of us got an even better nose from the 2006. The 2006 was softer with cherry and chocolate on the palate and good but soft tannins. The 2007 was bigger with more tannin, but also very well balanced. Both wines were very drinkable now but should cellar well. I later shared a bottle of the 2006 with friends, and it was even better at home after being given some time to open up.

Jean Phillips, the visionary behind the renowned Screaming Eagle Cabernet from Napa, is returning to the wine scene after a five-year break. She has recently acquired the Pillar Rock vineyard in Napa's Stags Leap District. Phillips has purchased the 114-acre parcel of land but has not acquired the winery or its brand. The financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Pillar Rock, established by Ron and Teri Kuhn, first released a wine from the 1999 vintage. The winery primarily produces Cabernet Sauvignon from its 22-acre estate vineyard, which also includes some Merlot. Despite early acclaim, the winery faced issues with TCA taint in its 2003 Cabernet, a problem caused by trace amounts of a compound that imparts musty flavors and aromas to corked wine.

Industry insiders suggest that the vineyard had been on the market for some time before Phillips made her purchase. Although Phillips has not revealed her plans for the property, it is unlikely she will use it for commercial wine production. She mentioned to Wine Spectator that her interest in the vineyard stemmed from its potential for growing grapes in a "wild, wonderful" setting, with a focus on the long-term future. The fate of the Pillar Rock winery and brand remains uncertain, and Ron Kuhn declined to comment on the sale.

Phillips, who started her career as a real estate agent, bought a 57-acre vineyard in Napa’s Oakville district in 1986. Initially selling grapes, she ventured into winemaking in 1992 with her first Cabernet Sauvignon, Screaming Eagle. The wine quickly gained acclaim, becoming one of Napa's most celebrated and priciest offerings. In 2006, Phillips sold the winery for an estimated $70 million to investors Charles Banks and Stanley Kroenke. Three years later, Banks departed, leaving Kroenke as the sole owner.