Throughout all of California there is no better-known viticulture area than Napa Valley. At the heart of this fame is the deserved reputation and prestige of its wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel make up the lion’s share of the vineyard plantings and here, the wines are held in high regard for their hand-crafted elegance, balanced intensity, depth of flavor and harmonious bouquet.

The magic of Napa Valley lies in the superb combination of its soil types, sun exposure and climate. In as much as these elements exist everywhere, it is unique where they intersect so perfectly for growing ultra-premium wine grapes as in the Napa Valley.

“The Valley” as it is usually called begins at the top of the San Francisco Bay and extends northward to Mount St. Helena. From 1880 -1920 the natural beauty of the place became irresistible to gentlemen ranchers looking to make big names for themselves. Mother nature lent a helping hand and an industry began to emerge. Charles Krug, Beringer Brothers, Inglenook, Beaulieu Vineyards and others established the area as wine country that did not stand in the shadow of any other grape growing area in the world.

Reflecting on earlier days, owner Val Haraszthy remembers. “I’ll never forget my dad bringing home a 1967 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. It wasn’t even a reserve or anything really out the ordinary – just their regular Cabernet. He was completely taken back by that wine and got happily lost in its remarkable character. My dad was a 100% Sonoma wine man and grumbled – those bastards. I knew immediately that it was a major compliment and had a glass with him. It was a wine quality wake-up call”.