Napa Valley
Chris Hamilton Cellars was founded in 2021 when Chris and Heidi Hamilton partnered with Eddie Gilbert who has been well established in Napa Valley since 2010. Eddie originally worked as a chef and then held executive level positions at Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Spirits and North Berkeley Imports. He is now the winery’s managing partner and responsible for all day-to-day operations, sales, marketing, and coordinating with winemaker Sarah Donley. The Hamiltons first visited Napa Valley in 2009 and were hooked on the food, the wine, the scenery, and the vibe, prompting Chris to turn to Heidi and say, “We’re going to live here, and we’re going to make wine.” They made their first wine, The Wülf Cabernet Sauvignon from a single vineyard in Oakville a decade later.
The team does not yet own an estate vineyard and prefers to source fruit from small family growers throughout the valley. Grapes for 2021 The Wülf Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon included in this month’s shipment were sourced from Pelissa Vineyard, situated in the heart of Oakville, at the southeast corner of Oakville Cross and Highway 29. With Opus One to the north and To Kalon to the west and northwest, Pelissa Vineyard sits among the Oakville giants, producing fruit of exceptional quality and character.
Sarah Donley is the current winemaker, having succeeded Jeff Ames, who left in 2022. Sarah’s firsts full season, for which she led the wine from barrel through, bottling is the upcoming 2023 vintage. Having previously worked at Colgin, Wheeler Farms, and ADAMVS, she is well prepared to take the reins at Chris Hamilton Cellars.
Chris Hamilton Cellars wines are available at the winery and in select markets such as California, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Arizona. Although there is no proprietary tasting room or winery, visitors are hosted at Signorello Estate where the wines are produced.
Eddie Gilbert tells Club 672, “We believe in producing exceptional wines that overdeliver for the price. Our style and sourcing are an homage to the wines that helped build Napa Valley. We believe in expressing the terroir through detailed farming practices, with sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. We’re here to remind everyone Napa Valley is still producing wonderful wines at prices that showcases our commitment to the customer. Great wine doesn’t have to be expensive, and our hope is to produce wines that anyone and everyone can enjoy.”
