Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from the region of Tuscany, Italy in 1985 and saved money needed to buy enough land to make wine for the Sonoma area restaurants and community members. The vineyard began in 1904 and this was the first Sonoma County vineyard to resume production following prohibition. During prohibition, Sebastiani created a skating rink, a motel, a theater, and a meeting hall at the local Catholic Church. He also started the production of peaches, pears, and other nectarines. Samuele Sebastiani passed in 1944 and his son, August Sebastiani, acquired the company along with his wife, Sylvia Sebastiani. The couple invented new wines together and expanded the winery and its proprietary blends. August was considered one of the most skilled winemakers of his time and some of his hand carved wine barrels are on display at the winery. August died in 1980 and his wife and three children (Sam, Don, and Mary Ann) assumed management of the company at that time. In the years that followed Sebastiani's largest growth came as the family built and created large volume brands including Turner Road Vintners which produces as many as 8 million cases per year. In 2008, Bill Foley purchased the company and added brands that have become known for Pinot Noir. Today, the winery offers tours and a hospitality center, a barrel room with original redwood tanks, exhibits drawn from the company's history, and daily tastings with pairing of cheese and the work of area chocolatiers.

Pictured is the gate/ entrance to the vineyards. 

Pictured is inside of the winery. Barrels are still on display in the museum. 

Pictured is the vineyards that cover over 10,000 square feet. 

Pictured is the view inside of the 80 foot tasting room. Guests can enjoy their time eating and tasting the variety of wine that Sebastiani's has to offer. 

Official Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery website 

Website

More information from the Foley Food and Wine Society 

Video

Winemaking at this historic Sonoma vineyard dates back to 1904, nine years after Samuele Sebastiani arrived in California from Tuscany. One of the oldest wineries in the area, Sebastiani was able to survive the prohibition area by focusing on agriculture and other businesses. The business was owned and operated by Sebastiani's children and grandchildren before the company was acquired by Bill Foley. The winery offers daily tours that emphasize the history of the Sebastiani family and winemaking in Sonoma. 

Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery

This tour of California's wine country includes stops at wineries that date back to the late 19th and early 20th century. More will be added soon. 

Historic Wineries of California Wine Country

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The Chateau Montelena Winery made history when it won the Judgement of Paris in 1976. Its prize-winning wine, a 1973 Chardonnay, was entered in a historic blind tasting where ten California wines were selected to compete against French wines. To the surprise of some and to the delight of many, the Chateau Montelena Winery produced a winner. The story of Chateau Montelena Winery's success was subsequently recounted in various books, magazine articles, news stories, interviews, and documentaries, as well as a feature film titled Bottle Shock. Previously known as the A.L. Tubbs winery, the vineyard and winery were established by Alfred Tubbs in 1888. Tubbs envisioned the 254-acre property as a vineyard and barrel aging plant. He constructed a rusticated English Gothic chateau, the design of which was unique in Napa Valley at the time. Most vineyard estate houses in nineteenth-century California were constructed of wood, whereas the walls of the chateau were made of dense stone, up to twelve feet thick. Tubbs also had the ingenuity to build the chateau into the hillside, which kept it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This was also relatively unusual in Napa Valley at the time. The unique design of the chateau was thought to have been inspired by the Cellar of the Chateau Lafite in France. Although the chateau was originally constructed to store wine barrels, with an upper story devoted to grape-crushing, by 1960 the property was converted into a private home. Today, it functions primarily as a Tasting Room, with special areas of the chateau designated for special events and private dining. Some rooms also remain in use as a private residence. The Chateau Montelena overlooks a Chinese-style garden, as well as Jade Lake. This decorative water feature on the property showcases Chinese pavilions and quaint bridges, as well as providing a view of the vineyards.

The Chateau Montelena Winery is one of the most historic wineries in Napa Valley, California, dating back to 1882. Located near the base of Mount St. Helena, the estate house was designed in the style of a European chateau. This quaint stone structure overlooks a Chinese-style garden. The landscape is also complemented by Jade Lake. Beyond these decorative elements, the property gives way to the vineyards.

Chateau Montelena Winery

Vittorio Sattui immigrated to California from Italy in the early 1880s, and he founded St. Helena Wine Cellars in San Francisco's Mission District in 1885. The Sattui family continued to reside at the winery even during Prohibition in the early twentieth century when the winery was forced to close to the public. The winery remained dormant for several decades until Vittorio Sattui's great grandson, Dario Sattui, decided to reopen the family business. After finishing his MBA at the University of California at Berkeley in 1969, Dario Sattui traveled around Europe in a Volkswagen van, while visiting wineries, castles, palaces, medieval monasteries, and farmhouses. Without him fully realizing it at the time, a vision was in the midst of taking shape in his mind. Upon returning to the United States, Dario launched V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena in honor of his great grandfather. Meanwhile, he searched for the perfect piece of land on which to expand the family winery. In 1975, he purchased 171 acres of land in Calistoga on the site of a vineyard that had originally been planted by Colonel William Nash in 1846. The property also included forest, hills, a stream, and a lake. In 1994, Dario then began building a 13th century-style Tuscan castle on the property using authentic methods of medieval construction (adapted to meet modern building codes). Construction began in 1994 and took a total of 15 years. It is 121,000 square feet with 107 rooms, with four stories underground and four stories above ground. The castle and wine cellar finally opened to the public in 2007 featuring Tuscan-style wines. The Castello di Amorosa offers visitors an immersive wine-tasting experience with the ambience of a traditional medieval Italian castle. The entire process has been well-documented in the book, Castello di Amorosa: A Labor of Love.

In 1885, Vittorio Sattui, an Italian immigrant, founded St. Helena Wine Cellars in San Francisco's Mission District. Three generations later, in 1993, his great grandson, Dario Sattui, purchased land in Calistoga on the site of a vineyard that had been established in 1846. Dario began building a 13th century-style Tuscan castle on the property. After 15 years of construction, the castle finally opened to the public in 2007 as the Castello di Amorosa Winery.

Castello di Amorosa

In the mid-twentieth century, Jack and Jamie Davies purchased a historic vineyard on Diamond Mountain in Calistoga, California. The vineyard was originally planted in 1862 by a German immigrant, Jacob Schram. By 1870, Schram had planted a total of 300,000 vines with help from a team of Chinese workers. They also dug a matrix of caves into the hillside for wine aging and storage. In 1875, the author Robert Louis Stevenson visited the winery and wrote about it in his book, Silverado Squatters. In 1891, shortly before Schram's death, a riesling wine produced under his "Schramsberger" label was served to President Harrison at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. By the mid-twentieth century, the property had fallen into neglect. However, in 1957, the matrix of caves at the winery was recognized for its historical significance when it was declared a historical monument by the California Historical Society. In the 1960s, the Davies set out restore the vineyard, as well as restoring the original Victorian Era home that Jacob Schram had built on the property. The restored estate was reopened by the Davies family as the Schramsberg Vineyards. Under its new ownership, Schramsberg Vineyards launched its premiere Blanc de Blancs in 1965. This sparkling white wine was served in 1972 at the "Toast to Peace" between the U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and the Chinese Premier, Zhou Enlai. It marked the first time that a Schramsberg wine, and in fact any American wine, had been served at an official State function. Since then, Schramsberg Vineyards' sparkling wines have been served at numerous U.S. Presidential and other State functions, during every Presidential administration since 1972. Today, special tours of the vineyards are available. For an additional fee, these tours will also include the historic caves, which were dug on site during the 1800s. Within this matrix of caves dug into the hillside, some 2.5 million bottles of Schramsberg Vineyards' sparkling wine are currently stored. Schramsberg Vineyards is also a Napa Green Winery, located on Napa Green Certified Land.

In 1862, Jacob Schram, an immigrant from Germany, arrived in California. He began homesteading and planting a 200-acre vineyard on Diamond Mountain. This would become Schramsberg Vineyards. A century later, under the ownership of Jack and Jamie Davies, Schramsberg Vineyards was restored. It has since become known for its premiere sparkling wines. 

Schramsberg Vineyards

In 1906, Libero Pocai, an immigrant from Lucca, Italy, purchased 60 acres of land in Napa Valley using only a handful of gold coins. He envisioned the land becoming a vineyard and winery, and he began to grow Zinfandel grapes. Soon, he named the land "L. Pocai &amp; Sons Winery &amp; Vineyard." By 1947, the winery produced a Zinfandel that won a prize at the California State Fair Wine Competition. Meanwhile, in 1922, John Ballentine, an immigrant from Tyrone County, Ireland, arrived in Napa Valley after spending over a decade in San Francisco. He bought 160 acres in Napa on the west side of Howell Mountain, previously the site of Sutter Home Winery. Ballentine renamed this property Ballentine Deer Park in memory of a farm in Ireland. Upon the conclusion of Prohibition in 1933, Ballentine began producing wines on site, including one of the first Cabernet Sauvignons in Napa Valley. Together with his son, Ballentine also purchased two neighboring vineyards. In 1953, through the wedding of Van Ballentine (son of John Ballentine) and Betty Pocai, two important family wine-making traditions in Napa Valley became combined into one. Following the union of Van Ballentine and Betty Pocai, Ballentine Vineyards has since produced a fourth generation, as their son Frank Ballentine now owns and operates the property. Ballentine Vineyards prides itself in having grown its grapes using the same methods for over one hundred years. It honors sustainable farming traditions, while seeking to minimize its impact upon the land. In addition, through a special rainwater collection and treatment system, Ballentine Vineyards harvests rainwater from the roofs of its buildings and recycles all of the water used in the winery to irrigate its crops. It is also a solar-powered winery. Today, Ballentine Vineyards retains the nickname "Pocai" in honor of one of its original founders, Libero Pocai, and his sons, who helped grow the vineyard and winery into the business that it is today.

Ballentine Vineyards was founded the families of Libero Pocai, who arrived in Napa Valley from Lucca, Italy in 1906, and John Ballentine, who arrived from Tyrone County, Ireland in 1922. When their descendants married in 1953, their wineries merged to become Ballentine Vineyards. It is currently in its fourth generation as a winery. 

Ballentine Vineyards

Founded by Charles Krug in 1861, the Charles Krug Winery officially opened for public tastings as early as 1862. The Charles Krug Winery is not only the oldest winery in Napa Valley, but it also holds the distinction of being the first Napa Valley winery to host a wine tasting open to the public. The winery's historic Redwood Cellar Tasting Room, which was built in 1872, was fully renovated and reopened to the public in 2013. Upon its reopening, it was renamed the Redwood Cellar Tasting Room and Hospitality Center. Designed by the prestigious architectural firm of Howard Backen, it has also been listed as a designated National Historic Landmark. Guests on a tour of the Charles Krug Winery can visit the working cellar, as well as the Cucina di Rosa Salumeria, the Outdoor Pizza Kitchen, and the picnic area. The Outdoor Pizza Kitchen offers traditional Italian thin-crust pizzas baked in a wood-fired pizza oven with fresh, natural ingredients that pair with the wine offerings. The Cucina di Rosa Salumeria offers a handcrafted selection of cured meats, cheeses, and mixed plates that are also complemented by wine-pairings for a relaxed and casual experience. Special events at the winery include occasional Tastings on the Lawn, as well as more elaborate Farm to Table dinners held outdoors with a view of the vineyard. In addition, while most Napa Valley wineries do not permit weddings, the Charles Krug Winery is an exception. It has become known for providing a romantic and historic backdrop for weddings and other private special events held on the property.

The Charles Krug Winery was founded in 1861 by Charles Krug, one of the earliest winemakers in Napa Valley, California. In 1943, the Krug estate was purchased by the family of Peter Mondavi, Sr. The Mondavi Family has continued to own and operate the winery since that time. The Charles Krug Winery is the oldest winery in Napa Valley.

Charles Krug Winery

Between 1998 and 1990, Dave and Yolando Del Dotto relocated from Kona, Hawaii, to Napa Valley, California. Working at the time as a wine buyer, Dave Del Dotto stumbled upon a 17-acre Rutherford vineyard for sale, which the family decided to purchase. The property also contained a 1912 Frank Lloyd Wright Craftsman-style home. Since that time, Dave Del Dotto has acquired several other vineyards throughout the region within some of the premiere American Viticultural Areas (AWAs). These include properties in Rutherford, St. Helena, Oakville, Howell Mountain, and on the Sonoma Coast at Fort-Ross Seaview. The Del Dotto family currently owns and operates the Historic Del Dotto Winery &amp; Caves in Napa, the Del Dotto Venetian Estate Winery &amp; Caves in St. Helena, and the Piazza Del Dotto in Napa. From the vineyards that it owns in Napa Valley, the Del Dotto family produces cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, sangiovese, and sauvignon blanc. In addition, the Del Dottos produce chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as small batches of syrah, sauvignon blanc, sparkling grenache, and mourvedre from the grapes at its Cinghiale Vineyard, located in the King Ridge region of the Sonoma coast. (The Italian word, "Cinghiale," means "wild boar" in Italian. Wild boars have been spotted on family's Sonoma-area vineyard similar to how these animals are often seen in the agricultural regions of Italy). The Del Dotto Venetian Estate Winery features a grand building created in the style of a Venetian palace, with marble floors, gold inlay, Venetian chandeliers, and mosaic tiles that tell the history of winemaking. This estate house was built by Italian stonemasons. It features floor to ceiling frescos by an acclaimed Italian artist. At this location, guided tours of the wine caves reveal details about the family's history of winemaking. Food pairings are offered, which celebrate the Del Dotto's own olive oil produced from old olive trees on the property. These food pairings feature Italian salami and other cured meats, vegetables harvested fresh from the garden on the property, and handcrafted ravioli based on an old family recipe.

Dave and Yolanda Del Dotto own and operate the Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves in St. Helena, CA. The Del Dotto family traces its heritage back to a tradition of family winemaking that began in Venice, Italy, in the 1400s. After purchasing the property in St. Helena, CA, the Del Dotto family built a Venetian-style estate building that features marble floors, fresco paintings, gold inlay, chandeliers, and other elements of a Venetian-style palace. The family also owns the Historic Del Dotto Winery and the Piazza Del Dotto Winery located in Napa, CA. 

Del Dotto Venetian Estate Winery & Caves

In 1879, Gustave Neibaum arrived in Rutherford, California, from Finland with plans to create a winery like those that he had known in his native Europe. A businessman and wine expert, Niebaum was well-traveled as a sea captain. Captain Neibaum had acquired a sizable personal fortune, and he was able to buy the Inglenook estate from Judge S. Clinton Hastings, the founder of the Hastings Law School at the University of California. Neibaum hired the San Francisco architect William Mooser to design an elegant chateau for the property, while hiring Hamden W. Macintyre to oversee the winery design. In 1882, Inglenook released its first vintage. Together, Niebaum and McIntyre created an experimental wine cellar by digging into a hillside behind the chateau. They sought to achieve an ideal temperature for aging Inglenook's wine, between fifty-five and sixty degrees Fahrenheit. They planned to then use this information within their new wine cellar, which was being constructed in the chateau. The chateau was finally completed in 1887, and by the end of the nineteenth century, Inglenook's guest register included dignitaries such as President Benjamin Harrison, who drank Inglenook wine on a visit to the winery in 1891. By 1901, the Southern Pacific Railroad was selling bottles of the popular Inglenook Claret to its passengers for a fee of sixty cents per bottle. When Niebaum died in 1908, Inglenook ceased production for several years. However, winemaking resumed under the new ownership of Niebaum's widow, and later under the ownership of Niebaum's great-nephew, John Daniels, Jr. During the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915, Inglenook's wine won 19 medals at the opening of the Panama Canal. But during Prohibition, which lasted from 1919 to 1933, Inglenook emptied its vats and barrels and instead sold its fresh grapes directly for home consumption. When Prohibition was finally repealed, however, the vineyard kicked off an all-day celebration which attracted crowds of people. By the 1940s, Inglenook had reached a level of renown in the U.S. and Europe that rivaled the famed European wineries. Because World War II had interrupted the importation of wine from Europe, California wineries such as Inglenook were able to boost production for the American market. Meanwhile, Inglenook's Cabernet Sauvignon, which was released in 1941, won many accolades. Decades later, it was also dubbed "the wine of the century" by Wine Spectator. By the 1960s, however, Inglenook's motto of "Pride, Not Profit" left the company struggling with aging equipment in a climate of high competition. In 1964, the winery was sold, although the family kept part of the land. In 1975, this remaining land entered another phase of ownership, when it was purchased by the acclaimed Hollywood film director Frances Coppola and his wife, Eleanor. In 1978, the Coppolas released their first vintage, a red Bordeaux-style wine called "Rubicon", which named after the river that was notoriously crossed by Julius Caesar marking a point of no-return. The Coppolas began calling the property the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery. In 1989, genetic testing revealed that the grapes used to make the "Rubicon" wine were indeed genetically the same as those from the original vines imported from Europe by Niebaum in the 1880s. In 1995, the Coppolas were able to purchase the original chateau that had been previously sold off. This reuniting of the grand chateau with Inglenook led to a major restoration of the chateau. To celebrate its restoration, a gala was held featuring an outdoor screening of the silent film Napoleon while an orchestra played the film's score, famously composed by Francis Coppola's father, Carmine Coppola. In 2011, the Coppolas acquired the trademark for the use of the name Inglenook and thereafter restored the original name of the winery. Since then, Inglenook has been enjoyed by a new wave of visitors who come for a taste of the wine as much as for the vineyard's history and heritage.

Gustave Niebaum, a Finnish immigrant and sea captain, arrived on the West Coast of California in 1879. After purchasing land from a California law professor and judge, he founded Inglenook Winery. Over the next several decades, Captain Niebaum experimented with identifying the ideal temperature for aging wine. Inglenook’s grand chateau was completed in 1879.

Inglenook Winery

In 1900, at the time of purchase by Georges and Fernande de Latour, the land that became Beaulieu Vineyard comprised a total of four acres. Georges de Latour was intent on helping to revive California's ailing wine industry. To achieve this, he sought to import Phylloxera-resistant rootstock from his native France, which would lead to the production of a healthy crop, substantial yield, and successful harvest. Although establishing a winery is usually a high-risk enterprise, Beaulieu Vineyards was able to achieve great success with their careful methods of cultivation. In addition, when Prohibition swept through America, they were able to continue producing wines by switching their production efforts towards the creation of a sacramental wine that would be used by Catholic churches. During this time, Beaulieu Vineyard's production and distribution quadrupled through the sale of sacramental wine. Following the repeal of Prohibition, Georges de Latour traveled to France in 1933 to study with one of France's top viticulturists, Andre Tchelistcheff. Upon de Latour's return home, this led to a period of both refinement and expansion of the wine production at Beaulieu Vineyards. In 1936, a "Private Reserve" Cabernet Sauvignon, which was originally created by de Latour as the family's private vintage, was released to the public at his mentor's insistence. This became the winery's flagship offering. Beaulieu Vineyard remains a leader in winemaking, including cutting-edge clonal research in viticulture. In 2008, Beaulieu Vineyards completed the construction of a new, state-of-the-art winery. It is housed within one of its original, historic buildings from the early 1900s. Because of its location in the town of Rutherford, the de Latour family's Beaulieu Vineyard is also referred to as the Rutherford Estate.

Beaulieu Vineyard was founded in 1903 by Georges de Latour and his wife, Fernande. The pair set out to establish a thriving wine industry in Northern California that would be on a par with the esteemed wineries of France. Seeing opportunity in the growing California winemaking industry, the family sold their successful Cream of Tartar business in order to devote their funds to winemaking. Fernande named this property "Beaulieu," which means "beautiful place." Similar to many wineries in this region, Beaulieu is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. The company has also devoted significant resources to research in the area of grape cloning, opening a new state-of-the-art facility within one of the winery's original buildings from the early 1900s. 

Beaulieu Vineyard

Originally from the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, Anton and Caterina Nichelini arrived in the Chiles Valley of Napa County. They began homesteading on a piece of land in St. Helena. Anton worked as a rancher, while also mining minerals on their property. For the first few years, the Nichelinis lived in a small wooden cabin. They planted olive trees and grape vines on their property and established the Nichelini Family Winery in 1890. In 1895, Anton and Caterina Nichelini were able to build a seven-bedroom stone house for their growing family, The home was largely built through Anton's own labor. They went on to have a total of 12 children, and their descendants continue to manage the family business today. The original olive trees planted by the first generation Nichelini family still remain on site. There is also a replica of the original wooden cabin where Anton and Caterina lived after arriving in California from Switzerland. It is now located beside the bocce ball court, which was designed with crushed oyster shells. Today, the Nichelini Family Winery is considered a small-production winery, producing only 4000 cases each year. The winery and vineyard are located at the top of Sage Canyon Drive, approximately fifteen minutes from the valley floor. The family's original Roman wine press, dating to 1890, remains on the property. In addition, a tiny stone root cellar, built into the hillside, is located across from the winery. In 2009, Aimee Sunseri became the seventh head winemaker at the Nichelini Family Winery. Sunseri represents the fifth generation of the Nichelini family to have overseen the winemaking operations at this site. The winery encourages people to bring their own lunches and snacks, and to enjoy sitting at the outdoor picnic tables, which offer a pleasant view of the valley.

Anton and Caterina Nichelini arrived in Napa Valley on horseback in 1884. Immigrants from Switzerland, they settled in Chiles Valley and began homesteading. After planting olive trees and grape vines, they founded a winery that has remained in the family for 127 years. The Nichelini Family Winery is the oldest continuously-owned family winery in Napa Valley. 

Nichelini Family Winery

Captain Hamden McIntyre immigrated to Napa from Scotland in the 1880s. He purchased a property with plans to open a vineyard. By 1886, he had planted his first vines, naming the property "Eschol." McIntyre also designed a winery building with a gravity flow system, in which grapes were transported by a horse drawn winch to the third floor of the winery building for crushing. Afterwards, the juice from the crushed grapes would flow via gravity down to the second floor, where fermentation occurred. Finally, the grapes reached the first floor where the wine was kept for aging.  In addition, McIntyre built several other vineyards and wineries in the region, including Inglenook, Greystone, Beaulieu, Far Niente, Chateau Montelena, and Frog's Leap. In 1886, Eschol was designated a "model farm" by the Napa Register. Just two years later in 1888, Eschol's Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauterne wines won the top prizes at the California State Viticultural Convention. This helped to establish Eschol's reputation, as well as Napa reputation within the state as an important wine-producing region. In 1889, at the Paris Exhibition, Eschol won more that half of the top prizes at this prestigious competition. This further established Napa Valley as a significant wine-making location. Like many of Napa's other wineries, however, Eschol suffered from the phylloxera invasion (a microscopic pest that invades the roots of the grape vines). After overcoming this challenge, Eschol faced Prohibition in the 1920s, which forced many Napa wineries to close their doors. Some, like Eschol, simply became grape farms, selling their grapes to families for home consumption (often for making bootleg wines) or for producing sacramental church wines. In 1968, the Trefethen family purchased the property with a plan to revitalize the vineyard. They restored the buildings, including the old cupolas that had previously been damaged or removed. The Trefethens also cleaned up acres of overgrown vines. After historic restorations to the property were complete, in 1973, the Trefethens leased the second floor of the winery to Moet and Chandon. In addition, the Trefethens debuted their own commercial harvest. They produced what was deemed the "Best Chardonnay in the World" at the 1979 Wine Olympics in Paris, also winning again the following year in the Wine Olympics held in Burgundy, France. In 1987, Trefethen Family Vineyards was awarded a designation on the National Register of Historic Places. More recently, the winery building was again restored in 2014, while also being outfitted for seismic protections against future earthquakes. The original historic character of the building was fully preserved. Today, the Trefethen Family Vineyards emphasizes a holistic approach to their entire winery eco-system.

Trefethen Family Vineyards was established in Napa in 1886 by Captain Hamden McIntyre, a Scottish sea captain. McIntyre originally named this vineyard and winery "Eschol." In addition, he also designed several other wineries in Napa during the late nineteenth century. These included Inglenook, Far Niente, and Greystone, which later became the Culinary Institute of America.

Trefethen Family Vineyards & Winery

Originally from Virginia, Jay Corley began his career as a linguist for the U.S. government and as a private investor in Southern California. He also worked as a businessman selling grapes to other wineries. However, while completing his Masters degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Corley wrote a business plan and academic thesis on opening and running a winery in Napa Valley. The dream officially became a reality in 1969, when Corley arrived in Napa Valley and purchased 80 acres of land on which to start his vineyard and winery. At the time that Corley purchased the land, it was covered with old-growth walnut trees. Corley worked to plant the original vines himself. His first vintage officially launched in 1980. The estate house on the property was built to resemble the historic Monticello estate house built by President Thomas Jefferson in Monticello, Virginia. The Corley family's estate house was constructed at one-third scale. The Corleys were inspired to build the historic replica on the property of their own vineyard because Jefferson was a wine collector and connoisseur of wines. He imported hundreds of different wines from Europe, and his Monticello estate house contained a world-class wine cellar. During his lifetime, Jefferson also advised several other U.S. presidents on official White House wine selections. A replica of Jefferson's Monticello estate house provided an ideal focal point and theme for the Corley family's Monticello Vineyards in Napa Valley. Today, when visitors arrive at Monticello Vineyards in Napa, they often inquire as to why the estate house is on the wrong coast. However, the connection soon becomes clear. Founder Jay Corley originally hailed from Virginia, and when he moved to the West Coast he retained a strong connection with his home state on the East Coast. In addition, Corley spent his early career as a government linguist. For those who don't have the opportunity to travel to President Jefferson's Monticello (now a museum) in Virginia on the East Coast, the Corley family's Monticello Vineyards provides a similar feel. President Jefferson's historic Monticello estate house is surrounded by acres of land, many of which are planted with vegetable gardens because Jefferson himself was an avid gardener. Similarly, the Corley family's Monticello Vineyards estate house is also surrounded by acres of land. However, the Corley family acreage is planted with row upon row of carefully-tended grapes.

Monticello Vineyards was founded by Jay Corley upon his arrival in Napa Valley in 1969. Corley purchased approximately 80 acres of land in the southern part of Napa Valley, currently known as the Oak Knoll district. Today, the vineyards and winery are owned and operated by his three sons. The property features a tasting room in the estate house which was built to resemble Thomas Jefferson's Monticello estate house in Virginia.

Monticello Vineyards, Napa Valley

In 1994, Bob and Laura Ackerman moved to Napa with a dream of owning a winery and vineyard. They purchased land in the Coombsville region, located at the southeast end of Napa Valley. Like the rest of Napa Valley, Coombsville has a long history of wine production since as early as the 1800s. In 2010, the Ackermans purchased a Queen Anne style home on Randolph Street in Napa. This historic mansion was built in 1888. It features 17 stained glass windows, original redwood handrails, and ornate plaster moldings. The Ackermans restored the Victorian era property and renamed it the "Ackerman Heritage House." Today, the Ackerman Heritage House includes a tasting room. It features wines produced with grapes from the Ackerman Family Vineyards, most notably their California Cabernets. There is also a formal dining room, a state of the art kitchen, and a chef's garden on the property. In addition to producing Cabernet Sauvignon, the Ackerman Family Vineyards have produced only one other wine, their "Alavigna Tosca", an Italian phrase which means "the Spirit of Tuscany." In 2011, the Coombsville region where the Ackerman Family Vineyards is located officially became an American Viticultural Area (AVA). Coombsville is currently recognized as an emerging area for wine production in Napa Valley. A sustainable vineyard since 2009, Ackerman Family Vineyards became the first Certified Organic Vineyard in Coombsville. It also received another rigorous designation as a California Certified Organic Farm. On-site farming practices emphasize biodiversity, natural fertilization methods, integrated pest management, soil health, and ecological balance. Hawk boxes at the vineyards encourage a natural form of rodent control, while cover crops such as legumes and poppies improve the soil, facilitate water filtration, suppress weeds, and prevent erosion. Healthy insects such as ladybugs are encouraged because of their beneficial effect upon the vines.

Bob and Laura Ackerman moved to Napa in 1994 to open a winery and vineyard. In 2010, the Ackerman family also purchased a 1888 Queen Anne style mansion on Randolph Street in Napa. The Ackermans restored the historic Victorian property and renamed it the "Ackerman Heritage House" with an on-site tasting room, state of the art kitchen, private dining room, and chef's garden.

Ackerman Heritage House (Ackerman Family Vineyards)

George Hendry moved to Napa as a child with his family in 1939. He learned from a young age how to work on a ranch. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley in 1959, he spent two years in the Navy and then went on to earn his masters degree, later working for the Cyclotron Corporation. During this period, the Hendry's land in Napa contained only six acres in cultivation for grapes throughout the 1960s, while the remaining land was used for pasture and prune orchards. However, by the early 1970s, the Napa Valley wine industry was in a full rebound. George planted the entire Hendry Ranch with grapevines. Many of these acres contained land that had lain fallow for over a century. Hendry Ranch Wines contains portions of vineyard that remain among the earliest ever planted in Napa. While the late 1800s saw the advent of many new wineries in Napa, it also witnessed the downfall of almost as many. An insect pest known as Phylloxera had at that time begun to ravage Napa Valley, causing many new wineries to fail. Although native North American vines were naturally resistant to Phylloxera, some of the grapevines that were imported from Europe in the late 1800s were not. Consequently, the imported Vitis vinifera European grapevines at many Napa wineries succumbed to the Phylloxera pest, while the vineyards planted with North American vines thrived. As a potential solution to the Phylloxera problem, North American rootstocks were grafted onto many Old World European grapevines throughout Napa Valley. This solution saved many vines, and by 1900, the burgeoning wine industry in Napa was growing stronger. However, when Prohibition began in 1920, the industry once again took a turn for the worse. And the effects continued to be felt for decades. Even after the repeal of Prohibition in the early 1930s, it was not until several decades later in the mid-1970s that a comparable amount of acreage had been restored for grape-growing in Napa. During the 1980s, Robert Mondavi started purchasing all of the Hendry's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and much of its Cabernet Sauvignon. Subsequently, the Hendry Ranch became known for its grapes throughout Napa Valley and beyond. By 1992, George Hendry also began making his own wine, and by 1994, he expanded the property considerably by purchasing a neighboring parcel. George's brother Mike also joined the Hendry Ranch after completing his PhD at the University of Alberta, Canada. By 2001, Mike Hendry was also managing the vineyard full-time. In 2001, a winery building was completed, with all aspects of winemaking now completed on-site. Today, the Hendry family remains proud that the Henry Ranch has remained within the family for the past 80 years. Grapes have been in continuous cultivation since that time.

In 1939, George O. Hendry arrived in Napa Valley as a child with his family. He began learning how to run a ranch while tending the cows and goats, and looking after the fruit orchard and vines. By the 1970s, he was overseeing the family business, an expanding vineyard with high-profile clients such as Robert Mondavi. A winery building was constructed in 2001. Since that time, the Hendry Ranch has included all aspects of grape-growing and winemaking on-site. Today, Hendry Ranch Wines is a family-owned and operated winery. It has been consistently cultivating grapes for the past 80 years. The Hendry Ranch contains several portions of the vineyard from the 1800s. These remain among the earliest ever planted in Napa Valley. 

Hendry Ranch Wines

Samuele Sebastiani emigrated from the region of Tuscany, Italy in 1985 and saved money needed to buy enough land to make wine for the Sonoma area restaurants and community members. The vineyard began in 1904 and this was the first Sonoma County vineyard to resume production following prohibition. During prohibition, Sebastiani created a skating rink, a motel, a theater, and a meeting hall at the local Catholic Church. He also started the production of peaches, pears, and other nectarines. Samuele Sebastiani passed in 1944 and his son, August Sebastiani, acquired the company along with his wife, Sylvia Sebastiani. The couple invented new wines together and expanded the winery and its proprietary blends. August was considered one of the most skilled winemakers of his time and some of his hand carved wine barrels are on display at the winery. August died in 1980 and his wife and three children (Sam, Don, and Mary Ann) assumed management of the company at that time. In the years that followed Sebastiani's largest growth came as the family built and created large volume brands including Turner Road Vintners which produces as many as 8 million cases per year. In 2008, Bill Foley purchased the company and added brands that have become known for Pinot Noir. Today, the winery offers tours and a hospitality center, a barrel room with original redwood tanks, exhibits drawn from the company's history, and daily tastings with pairing of cheese and the work of area chocolatiers.

Historic Wineries of California Wine Country

Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information