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St. Helena Ehlers Estate was founded by Bernard Ehlers, a Sacramento grocer who moved his family to St. Helena in 1886 and built the structure that houses the current tasting room. The estate consists of 42 acres of which 36 are planted with vines. The winemaker is Madrid-born Laura Diaz Munoz who got her passion…
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Napa Valley Hestan Vineyards is named for Helen and Stanley Cheng who purchased a former cattle ranch in 1996 and immediately prepared the land to plant grapes. They took special care to divide the property into small blocks to take advantage of the sites’ sun exposure and soil drainage capabilities. In keeping with the Chengs’…
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Napa Valley Lindsay Hoopes describes herself as owner/alpha dog at Hoopes Vineyard and tells 672 that she wears many hats in her “small business do everything role.” She runs the business with her father Spencer and describes her husband Mitan as the “taste tester,” but her four kids are the real inspiration to keep the…
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Napa Valley Tamber Bey Vineyards is most definitely a family affair. Founder and proprietor Barry Waitte works as vintner, his wife Jennifer is the director of marketing, and their daughter Kendra fills the roles of the director of hospitality and direct-to-consumer liaison. Barry moved from Silicon Valley to Napa Valley in 1999 and released 150…
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Mt Veeder, Napa Valley Rudd Estate was founded by Leslie Rudd in 1996, but Leslie was already a legend in the world of wine well before the 1990s. He began working at his family’s Standard Beverage Company in 1965, became the president in 1974, and grew the business to eventually become the largest beverage distributor…
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Napa Valley Robin Daniel Lail can trace her Napa Valley history back to 1879 when her great-granduncle Captian Gustav Niebaum founded Inglenook Vineyards. After the Captain’s death Robin’s father John Daniel, Jr. took over stewardship of the estate and although the winery was sold in 1964, John made sure to pass his winemaking knowledge on…
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Oakville, Napa Valley Vintner Tor Kenward was hired by Beringer Vineyards as a winemaker in 1977 and within three years he was promoted to vice president. He remembers early meetings with wine legends Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, and Andre Tchelistcheff with great fondness, but it was his 1981 trip to France that was the impetus…
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Napa Valley Napa Valley residents Thomas tucker and George Burrage purchased the land that would become Vine Cliff Winery in 1870 from what was then the famous Yount Estate. Vine Cliff Winery was officially founded in 1871 but fell into disrepair and became what is locally known as a “ghost winery.” It was resurrected about…
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Napa Valley Truly a family affair, Stanton Vineyards was founded in the 1940s when Jesse Stanton purchased his first vineyards. He eventually turned them over to his son John, who moved to Napa Valley in 1971 with his young son Doug and took over all vineyard operations. Current winemaker and owner Doug Stanton started learning…
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Napa Valley Casey Stringer, owner and winemaker at Stringer cellars, tells 672 Wine Club that he was raised in Wisconsin, “where wine is consumed, but not grown.” His mother’s side of the family is from California, and he grew up visiting his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins there always knowing he wanted to live in…