Our History

We started growing grapes in the Napa Valley when we purchased a Calistoga vineyard in 1978 as a weekend getaway and base for glider flying.  As the Napa Valley evolved into a heralded wine growing region, our passion for wine and farming developed along with it. Our first wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, was bottled under the Melanson Vineyard label in 1985. We then set our sights on growing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon selling the Calistoga vineyard to purchase a 42 acre on Pritchard Hill in 1988.

The property’s 10.5 acre vineyard was planted to Riesling in the 1960s then grafted to a Wente Clone Chardonnay.  We removed 7.5 acres in 1999 to plant Cabernet Sauvignon knowing that the varietal was beautifully suited to our steep rocky slopes.  We don’t regret our move to the hills and relish having father and son working side-by-side in the business, cultivating the slopes that were once a childhood playground.

For over two decades the Cabernet Sauvignon from our estate has been sought after by heralded winemakers including Heidi Barrett, Thomas Brown, Celia Welch and Jeff Ames.