Limited Edition Wine

The Harmony between Climate and Soil

California wine history began in 1769 when a Spanish priest, Junipero Serra, opened missionaries and planted vineyards to produce wine for Catholic Mass. Around 1830, Frenchman Jean Louis Vignes, credited with beginning the commercial era of vineyards in California, imported cuttings from native European grape varietals. The 1848 Gold Rush saw an influx of European immigrants attracted to the potential of riches who brought with them experience and knowledge of vineyard cultivation. Between 1860 and 1880, the wine industry boomed until Prohibition in 1919 halted its growth. Vineyards were removed and winemaking virtually ceased until Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Forty-four years later in 1976, California, specifically Napa Valley, became a global winemaking celebrity when a Napa Valley Cabernet bested four top-ranked Bordeaux red wines and a Napa Valley Chardonnay, won the white wine category in the 1976 Judgment of Paris Tasting. Overnight, Napa Valley became a sensation.

Located 50 miles north of San Francisco, the Napa Valley has excellent natural climatic conditions for growing what some consider, the best grapes in the world. Mild winters, cool average temperatures and ample sunshine provide a perfect environment for vineyards to flourish. Some Napa grown grape varietals believed to have reached the pinnacle of quality include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Today, the Napa Valley is synonymous with prestigious wine and is legendary among wine drinkers and connoisseurs.