Winemakers & Brewers

Brian and Rob Capp have been farming their whole lives. The brothers grow grapes in Suisun Valley and Gordon Valley, having learned the craft from their father. In addition to the Zinfandel vineyard their father planted in 1969, the brothers tend to nine other varietals in the region.

Capp Family Vineyards Grapecraft Chardonnay Sourced from a deep rooted Arroyo Secco Family this 2017 Chardonnay boasts a smooth, slightly buttery flavor that pairs perfectly with a good book and a lounge chair or a table of good friends and delicious food on a warm summer day!

A little about the Capp family…Farming is definitely in the blood of Brian and Rob Capp. The Capp brothers have been farming all of their lives and, like their father before them, are members of Allied Grape Growers. In addition to farming their own grapes in both Solano’s Suisun Valley and Napa’s Gordon Valley, the brothers provide vineyard management services and mechanical harvesting and grape hauling services.

The Capp family began farming with their father, Lanny Capp, as young men. Lanny farmed the family ranch in Napa’s Gordon Valley, growing Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. Sons Rob and Brian have carried on the family tradition, preserving the Zinfandel vineyard that Lanny planted in 1969, while adding Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc to their estate holdings, for a total of about 35 acres under vine in Gordon Valley.

About two miles down the road from Capp Estate Ranch, the brothers keep busy by farming the 40 acre Inn Ranch which consists mostly of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Verdelho, and Malvasia; the Chavez Ranch with about 30 acres of Chardonnay and eight acres of Cabernet Sauvignon; and the SVR Ranch with 10 acres of Cabernet.

So it goes without saying that the Capp Family are no strangers to hard work, dedication, and a passion for the land and their craft. We hope you enjoy Capp Family wine as much as we do!

Chuck Wagner, owner and winemaker, moved his wine production to the Suisun Valley from Rutherford in the Napa Valley due to the unique soil and understated vibe of the region. Chuck took a chance and planted Durif, which grew spectacularly well in the Suisun soil.

Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif When we started Caymus Vineyards 45 years ago, our little town of Rutherford – the center point of the Napa Valley – was a very different place than it is today. Inglenook and Beaulieu were always here, or so it seemed. And we came along just six years after Robert Mondavi started his Oakville winery in 1966. We were a podunk, mom, pop, and son operation that had once been written up as a winery with a “Sanford and Son” appearance. The 1970’s brought about the planting of grapes instead of more traditional crops like prunes, walnuts, and grains. The valley had no famed restaurants luring people to visit, and traffic on the roads was light. Everyone seemed to know everyone else. With all its natural gifts – from its climate to its farmland to its quiet beauty – “Napa” was still largely undiscovered and felt full of possibility.

The same look and feel back in 1972 exists today in a place that is only a 40-minute drive from Rutherford. Suisun (su-soon) Valley lies to the southeast, separated from its more famous neighbor only by a county line. It, too, has a maritime climate, with warm days and cool nights, due to its proximity to the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. At about one-and-a-half times the size of Rutherford AVA, the Suisun AVA has rich soils and historically is known for growing stone fruit. The domain is also ideally suited to growing certain varieties of grapes.

There are a few key reasons why the Suisun Valley is not widely known today. First, the 12 wineries that exist are small in size and sell their wine consumer-direct. Second, the land has been planted to fruit trees for more than a century – delicious stone fruits that are highly sought after by many Napa restaurants. Fruit in Suisun is being replanted by vines much like prunes were replaced by grapes in Napa decades ago.

We first ventured into the Suisun to relocate much of our wine production (and bottling) from Rutherford– which brought the side benefit of contributing to the reduction of car and truck traffic in Napa Valley. From the start, I was drawn in by the beauty of the area. Quiet country roads, diversity of farming, and the best peaches I’ve ever eaten – literally, the charming little valley left me with an exceptional and memorable taste. The local farmers and vintners welcomed us, as we could relate so well to their generations of family living off the land.

Caymus – Suisun Grand Durif – we began an in-depth search of “ Suisun” in early 2014 and identified a few top-quality Durif vineyards in the hidden corners of this small, picturesque place (Durif is synonymous with Petite Sirah). We found ourselves working with Howard Babcock, a grower with a most positive attitude. “I want to do whatever it takes in the vineyard for you to make the very best wine that you can,” he exclaimed. His words meant a lot and helped set the stage for us.

As we set our sights on producing a Caymus-style wine from one of the world’s heavyweight varieties, we made a promise to ourselves that “a new wine bearing the old Caymus would have to be great – or it would not be bottled.” Tasting what had been produced by other area wineries, we determined that Durif planted on the local soils appeared to be exceptional and was the best choice in varietal. While the Suisun climate is like Napa, the Suisun soils are different.

We are pleased that the wine we produced made grade and we bottled 843 cases for our first bottling (2014 vintage) – sold only from our retail room in Rutherford. In an effort to accurately define the wine in a name, we chose “Grand Durif.” After all, it is a grand style of wine – and anything but petite. We felt that it is only right to have a new and singular name as the wine is a new and singular style. I am hopeful that it turns a page in the history book of Petite Sirah – or at least sparks the fire of positive change in being rich and tannic, yet supple and totally enjoyable.

We hope that you will enjoy this third vintage and join us in the discovery of a hidden gem – the historical, yet not so well-known, Suisun Valley. We are now embarked on building a winery and tasting room in the heart of this beautiful place and hope you will visit and see for yourselves.

TASTING NOTES: A velvety purple with ruby-red highlights, the Grand Durif features an abundant nose of dark plums and baked blueberries, woven with scents of lavender, white rose petals, sweet smoke and brown spice. Entry on the palate is smooth, yielding a pop of rich, luxurious tannins that then sneak back, revealing lush fruit flavors of dark berry cobbler. What gives this wine its singular character are its tannins – strong yet supple, pronounced while being strikingly soft. The finish is long, with warm, evocative notes of unsweetened cocoa. Still quite young, this vintage can be enjoyed now and also has tremendous aging potential.

“SEE YOU SOON IN SUISUN!”

• Chuck Wagner, Owner and Winemaker
  Note: Durif and Petite Sirah are synonymous names for the same grape.

Rico Chelini grew up around winemaking. His family has been in the Napa Valley wine business since 1969. In 2014, Rico and his wife Lindsey accomplished their dream of creating a wine under their own Chelini Family label.

Winemaker Rico Chelini was born and raised in St. Helena, in the heart of the Napa Valley where his family has been making wine since 1969. Rico’s childhood was filled with days of following his father, legendary Stony Hill winemaker Mike Chelini, around the vineyard and watching the winemaking process up close and as part of his daily life. It was an easy decision for Rico to follow in his father’s footsteps. After studying Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Rico worked in the vineyards and cellar at Linne Calodo Winery in Paso Robles for three years where he really learned what it took to make the best wines possible. Armed with a solid winemaking foundation, Rico returned to his Napa Valley roots where he met up with longtime Napa Valley winemaker Bob Pepi. After eight years working with Pepi, making wine for numerous premier Napa Valley producers, Rico and his wife Lindsey decided to finally pursue their lifelong dream of creating a wine of their own under the Chelini family name. With access to fruit from the beautiful Rosa Garcia Vineyard in Carneros, one of the premier Pinot Noir appellations, A.D. Chelini Pinot Noir was created. The goal was to make a food-friendly wine that could be enjoyed for family gatherings and shared amongst friends. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy sharing it.

2014 A.D. Chelini Carneros Pinot Noir Winemaker: Rico Chelini Three day cold soak, followed by 14 day fermentation using Assmannhausen yeast strain. Alternating pump overs/punch downs daily until fermentation was complete. Gentle press up to 1.3 bars, then straight to barrels. Sur Lie stirring was done daily for two months until malo-lactic fermentation was completed. Aged for 10 months in 30% new French Burgundy barrels (Cadus, Francois Frères).

Winemaker notes: The 2014 Pinot Noir bursts with aromas of violets and dark stone fruit. On the palate the stone fruit carries over with flavors of dark plum along with bing cherry and raspberry with hints of warm spices, black tea, tobacco and sage. The dark fruit is well balanced with bright acidity and subtle tannins, making this a perfect wine to pair with fine cuisine. Alcohol: 14.44.

One Grape, One Wine, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Ehler Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a small family vineyard in the Western hills of Solano County. Strong aromas of currents and fresh crushed blackberries give way to undertones of cedar and vanilla. Firm, gripping tannins give this wine a graphite edge with a long, well developed finish. Aged for 32 months in French Oak, Ehler Sauvignon Blanc is readily approachable and will age beautifully for many years to come.

Faith Sauvignon Blanc and Friendship Cab Blend

Grapes are grown in Green Valley, CA on the Russo Family Vineyard, wine maker is Bill Nancarrow of Goosecross Winery in Yountville.

Love Zinfandel

Estate grown and produced at Rock Creek Vineyard in Green Valley CA - wine maker Tom West

Gratitude Red Blend

Grown on a 100 year old estate in Suisun Valley, CA by Caymus Vineyards - wine maker is Don Huffman from Rockville Cellars in Suisun Valley.

GV Cellars purchased the 40 acre property in Green Valley in 2005, however, the property has been continuously planted with grape vines since the early 1950s. The 30 acre vineyard is home to 6 distinct varietals: Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. GV Cellars produces these single varietals in house and enjoy crafting new style blends that incorporate either estate varietals or high quality fruit from around the region. Innovation and creativity is their focus, with limited specialty bottles released at least once every year.

Gilpin Estate is a family-owned winery focused on producing handcrafted, boutique Napa Valley wine. Owner and winemaker John Gilpin uses his knowledge to craft superior wines with balance, power, dimension, and finesse.

Gilpin Estate (GE) is a family-owned winery focused on producing handcrafted boutique Napa Valley wine. John Gilpin, owner and winemaker, works with diverse premium vineyards to craft superior wines styled for balance, power, dimension and finesse. Gilpin, who has a degree in Horticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obipso and studied Viticulture at UC Davis, features a winemaking style that balances the contributions of the soil and the fruit that produces powerfully rich wines. Gilpin was the winemaker of Quercus wines and Vitus wines and has won numerous awards over the last 10 years. With a background in retail management and business development, John’s wife Carol is the marketing manager and co-owner for the company.

Gilpin Estate Merlot

2020 Gold Medal Winner/San Francisco Chronicle The Merlot vineyard is on Olive Hill Lane in Coombsville, an up-and-coming hot region within the Napa Valley. Perched on a rocky hillside that climbs up to 1900 feet in the Vaca mountain range, the vines are known for providing grapes that offer dense, dark fruit with solid tannins and rich feel. Gilpin has produced his award-winning wines from this vineyard since 2008 and is excited about the first release of his Merlot under the Gilpin Estate label.

Gilpin Estate Rosé of Merlot

This Provencal style Rosé is produced from grapes in the cooler southern region of Napa Valley. The tradition of whole cluster press, using the whole grape (versus the leftover juice after pressing the grape), creates a more complex Rosé wine that is refreshing, crisp and well-rounded.

Gilpin Estate Pinot Noir

A new favorite wine for Carol Gilpin (also called Carol’s Cuvee), these grapes come from a small Carneros vineyard that produces a big wine. The Gilpin Pinot is big, bold style and holds up to a variety of rich foods. This is a Cabernet lover’s Pinot.

The Mangels family has been in the Suisun Valley since 1866. Gary Mangels, a descendant of those original German settlers, planted his first vineyard in 1991. Gary and winemaker Gina Richmond founded Mangels Vineyards in 2009.

The Mangels Family name is one that has been in the Suisun Valley since 1866. When Gary Mangel’s 4x great-grandfather Louis emigrated with his parents at the age of 14 from Germany and immediately left for the West Coast, by way of Panama, it was the beginning of a legacy built by the Mangels family that still thrives today. Starting as ranchers and grape growers, by 1893 Louis, along with his son Claus, would build their first wine cellar. Solano Winery went on to become one of the largest producing wineries in the state of California and by 1906 were producing 500,000 gallons of wine a year.

By 1920, Prohibition hit the United States, with L. Mangels and Sons being one of only seven wineries allowed to legally produce wine for the government. By 1932, the Solano Grapes Products Company was incorporated under the name of Solano Winery and after Prohibition in 1933, the government began to bond wineries. “Solano Winery” became Bonded Winery Number 42. Claus planted more vineyards and leased another 153 acres with a Bonzi Vineyard at Monticello, in Napa County (which now lies under Lake Berryessa). In 1943, Claus Mangels sold Solano Winery but maintained his home and vineyards in Suisun Valley. When Claus passed away in 1950, his son Lewis inherited the property expanding the livestock operation while continuing to grow grapes for the Sebastiani and Christian Brothers Wineries.

In 1973, Gary Mangels joined his father Lewis in the family ranching business. In 1988, Gary purchased land that would eventually become Mangels Vineyards and planted his first vines in 1991. Over time Gary has learned which varieties are best suited for his location in Suisun Valley and in 2009, Gary and winemaker Gina Richmond founded Mangels Vineyards.

The winemaker: Gina is the fourth generation of her family to live in Suisun Valley. Her great grandfather, Sebastian Oberti, came to the Suisun Valley in the 1890’s from Italy. He grew fruits and vegetables to sell to the local community and dabbled in some home winemaking. Gina expanded on this legacy by graduating from CSU Fresno with an enology degree. After graduating, she interned at Spring Mountain Winery in St. Helena and Trinity Hill Winery in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. She met her husband, George, while working in New Zealand, and he has become an integral part of Mangels Vineyards. Gina’s no frills winemaking style that she learned from the great professors at Fresno State allows her to make clean, fresh, and flavorful wines. She concentrates on picking the grapes at the peak of their flavor. When blending, she looks for a balanced wine consisting of great aromatics and the right ratio of tannin, acid, and alcohol. She believes these are the two most important points in winemaking.

2018 Suisun Valley Pinot Grigio

Springtime comes to life in this bottle all year round. The apple blossom and hints of nectar meld in the mouth with granny smith apple flavors. If pork and fish dishes are your thing then winemaker Gina Richmond recommends complimenting this wine with your next meal.

Starboard (Port Style)

A Petite Sirah based dessert wine made in the traditional port style. Dark fruit and chocolate balance out the richness of the sweet finish.

A small family owned vineyard nestled in Solano County’s hidden gem, Green Valley. This unique terroir combined with the perfect climate in this tiny AVA creates ideal growing conditions for the Plough Zinfandel & Petite Sirah. Owners Greg & Audrey Plough are committed to making outstanding handcrafted and harvested, small production wine.

Plough Zinfandel - This balanced and structured wine presents a deep upfront core of jammy, rich fruit flavors of black cherry and raspberry, exotic spices, and hints of black pepper.

After retiring from their successful “day jobs,” Tom and Carolyn West embarked on their winemaking journey. Since 2005, the couple has made distinct handcrafted wine in Green Valley.

“Fine Handcrafted Wine” When Tom and Carolyn West decided to retire from their successful “day jobs” they had a new chapter in mind. With four children and fourteen grandchildren there was a new family venture on the horizon. Rock Creek Horse Farm was destined to become Rock Creek Vineyard. The paddocks and white fences came down and rows of the finest grapes were planted on one acre of the rocky hillside estate flanked with olive trees. The barn was beautifully renovated, the box stalls turned into a wine cellar, a barrel room, a laboratory, and a small kitchen, all with a twist of French country charm.

Making wine since 2005, Rock Creek Vineyard is positioned perfectly in the heart of the Green Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Solano County. That’s right, Green Valley has its own AVA, the warmer days combined with the cool evening breezes from the Bay have created a unique climate worthy of its own AVA designation.

With an annual production of approximately 400 cases, divided among five varietals, Handcrafted Wine is not just a phrase Rock Creek, we are proud to make our wine “from the ground up.” We grow our own grapes with all of the vines meticulously hand-tended, carefully managing the size of the crop, the leaf canopy, irrigation, and pest control. At harvest, friends and family gather to pick the grapes, carefully hand-sorting them and hurrying them to the crusher, assuring that the finest product of the vine is made available for the winemaker’s (Tom himself) task that lies ahead. Finally fermenting, press, aging, and bottling is done right here at our winery, again, all by hand.

We are proud to offer these varietals and hope you will enjoy them with your friends and family as much as we do!

Petite Sirah: Full bodied with moderate tannins and a smooth, delicious flavor. Deeply intense color with slight hints of chocolate combined with dark fruits, plums, cherries, and berries.

Zinfandel: A fruity and smooth Zin from perfectly ripe berries. Depth and richness combine to make this fruit-forward Zinfandel a classic sipping wine. Aged in American oak for 17 months.

Sangiovese: The traditional wine of Chianti, delicious medium-bodied wine with great balance and pleasing acidity. Concentrated cherry and plum notes are followed by a licorice finish.

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: Estate grown and bottled, a rich mellow, ruby red wine delightfully fruit forward with cherry and plum notes and a velvety smooth finish. (Only 10 cases made.)

Dal Cuore: A customer favorite, Super-Tuscan is rustic, yet smooth, with the structure of the Cabernet Sauvignon supporting the fruitiness of the Sangiovese. A deep red with a complex flavor…berries, plums, with a lingering finish.

In addition to the fine wine Rock Creek produces, Tom, being true to his ancestry, has been discovered as a decent olive farmer as well. Until recently, Rock Creek Vineyard has been milling the olives and making a delicious olive oil for their friends and family only. However, they have now expanded the orchard and have a very limited amount of the delicious olive oil for sale at the Suisun Valley Filling Station.

Don J. Huffman is the winemaker at Rockville Cellars, a boutique winery in the Suisun Valley. Sir Pig, the most popular wine by Rockville Cellars, is an acidic wine with a beautiful nose and compelling flavor profile.

The real story behind SirPig from Rockville Cellars. We wanted a dry, acidic wine with a beautiful nose and compelling flavor profile. This blend of Grenache and Counoise with just a touch of Tempranillo does the trick. Bring on the summer breeze and solo cups.

What is that floating in the wine? Treasure we call it. This is an intentionally coarse-filtered Rosé to protect the phenolic characteristics found in the delicate Counoise grape. The floating particles come from the fermentation process and are perfectly harmless and natural.

What’s in a name? In the early days, winemaker Don J. Huffman raised pigs for 4H right here in Solano County. He was affectionately called “Piggy.” His response was always “SirPig to you!” This wine is a tribute to the feeling you get when drinking a wonderfully light and refreshing wine, you can feel like royalty even until you finish a glass of wine. Please enjoy this wine with a smile.

NOTE: This illustration was created by Don’s daughter Annabelle Huffman @nabbiebelle.”

Suisun Creek Ranch and Vineyard have been in the Babcock family for 35 years. Winemaker Brian Babcock along with his wife Katie and their three kids are carrying on the tradition of a family run estate. Tending to the vineyards and creating some of the most beautiful wine in the Valley.

Estate Grown
Handcrafted ~ High quality

Suisun Creek Ranch and Vineyard have been in the Babcock family for over 35 years and is located in the heart of beautiful Suisun Valley, California. When Howard Babcock purchased the property, it was a thriving orchard of cherry, prune, and pear trees. As the family business, the Babcocks, along with son Brian and his sister, cared for the entire ranch. From orchard care to harvesting the fruit and selling it at the family fruit stand. Eventually those orchards were replaced with vineyards, which make up the 13 varietals that are grown in the same spot today and all of which are still managed and cared for by our owner/winemaker, Brian Babcock, and his team of vineyard workers.

Varietals include: Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Charbono, Pinot Grigio, Muscat, Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Meet Winemaker Brian Babcock

Brian is a native Californian and was raised on the same property that he farms today. His family moved to Suisun Valley when he was five years old, and he can’t imagine a better place to live. In fact, his children attend the same elementary that he did growing up! Living his life on the ranch has prepared him for the jobs he has today. After attending high school in Napa, CA, Brian set his sights on a career in wine and farming. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis. He took his knowledge and jumped into the wine field working at various wineries in Napa County. He has held many different positions including: Lab Technician, Cellar Worker, Harvest Assistant, Production Enologist, Assistant Winemaker, and finally, Winemaker. Before returning home to work the family land, Brian spent 10 years at one of the 3rd largest wineries in the country. There, he perfected his winemaking skills and helped lead a team to produce much of the wine currently found on many chain store shelves. Brian is so happy to be home on the ranch, working the land and hand crafting the varietals that we are so proud to serve to you. Winemaking is not only a science, but an art. Brian knows this well and works tirelessly to bring you the best wine possible. We hope you enjoy our wine as much as we enjoy making it… “

The Swope family were sharecroppers from southern Missouri. While dirt poor, they were rich with love of family. During the height of the Dust Bowl era their father, James Thomas Swope, with his daughters, a son and three grand children, moved to northern California. Settling in Suisun Valley, they started as day laborers picking fruit and working the fields. With hard work they carved out a place they could call home – Fairfield, California and Mankas Corner. James, and one of his grand daughters, were laid to rest at the Rockville Cemetery. Today, four grand children and there families still live in the area. This brand is a tribute to them.

Winemaker, Don J. Huffman, great grandson.

Winemaker Steve Tenbrink has been a farmer since 1982 and first experimented with growing grapes in 1996. One barrel at a time, Steve has learned how to craft exceptional, small-lot wines.

THE WINERY
The winery is a big, red metal barn which was added to the remnants of an old redwood barn that has adorned the Tenbrink Ranch for over a hundred years. As we use both ancient and nuevo methods to turn grape juice into wine, it is a comfortable “home” for this mix of old and new.

Next to the barn stands a beautiful white farmhouse that we hope to use for a farm-stay in the future. It’s surrounding gardens are as charming as the house and provide a perfect spot for our “picnic parties” and BBQ’s al fresco, which happen often!

THE WINEMAKER
Steve Tenbrink has been a farmer since 1982, literally all of his adult life. He began with cherries, peaches, apricots, and prunes, later adding a “farmers market garden” with hundreds of heirloom tomatoes. Which, in 1984, led to the opening of one of Suisun Valley’s most treasured destinations, Pioneer Fruit Stand. Pioneer was not only a favorite place to stop and shop for the local folks, but most importantly served as a summer job and jumpstart into the family business for all four of the Tenbrink children and many of their friends! Next came a walnut grove and eventually the vineyard project in 1996 which naturally led Steve to experiment in the world of winemaking, starting with one barrel at a time…

Founded by Cliff and Lisa Howard, Tolenas Vineyard and Winery is the first Certified Craft Wine maker in the Suisun Valley. With limited intervention and lots of care, the Howards nurture high-quality grapes to make award-winning wine.

Founded by Cliff and Lisa Howard, Tolenas Vineyard and Winery is proud to be recognized as the first Certified Craft Wine makers in the Suisun Valley. What is a Certified Craft Wine you ask? It means the production is available commercially, limited to 5,000 cases or less, and most importantly, the winemaker (or makers) lead the entire production from grape production to the final blend. At Tolenas Winery, Cliff and Lisa, along with help from their three kids, are doing just that. Lisa’s parents Steve and Linda Tenbrink have been farming in the Suisun Valley since 1982, and being the “farmer’s daughter” certainly lends Lisa and Cliff the advantage of the first and the best when it comes to picking the grapes and choosing the very limited varietals they produce each year.

The Tenbrink family (and now second generation Howard family) farm 40 acres of grapes in two distinct locations right here in Suisun Valley. The biggest of the vineyards, lush with Pinot Noir, is located along I80 off Rockville Road. Perfectly positioned with the cool breeze from the San Pablo Bay, this area lends itself to making the delicious and now GOLD MEDAL WINNER (91 points) White Pinot Noir, “Eclipse.”

The remaining vineyards are set in the slightly warmer, central areas of Suisun Valley, one on Suisun Valley Road across from the Suisun Valley Co-op and Mangels Tasting rooms and the other surrounds the Howard’s Estate on William’s Road. Which also happens to be the exact area in which the name Tolenas comes from. “Rancho Tolenas” was a 13,316 acre Mexican land grant given to Jose Francisco Armijo by the governor in 1840.

All of the Tenbrink/Howard vineyards are kept beautifully and strategically manicured with many of the varietals minimally irrigated and even dry farmed. Tenbrink vineyards grapes are known and purchased by famous winemakers all over the United States. With large orders shipped back to the famous Biltmore Estate in North Carolina as well as wineries in Napa, Sonoma, Heldsberg, and Connecticut every year.

Vandella Estate is dedicated to crafting wines of superior quality and finesse. Every grape cluster is exclusively hand-picked by the winemaker, sorted in the vineyard, then meticulously coaxed into its fullest expression.

When it comes to artisan winemaking, there is one brand that encapsulates the true definition of “handcrafted,” and takes the concept to a whole new level…

Located just three miles north of the Filling Station, in the south-east corner of Napa Valley, Vandella Estate is dedicated to crafting wines of superior quality and finesse. Every grape cluster is hand-picked exclusively by the winemaker, sorted in the vineyard, then meticulously coaxed into its fullest expression. Never hurried, nor manipulated, these critically acclaimed, limited production wines are simply stunning to taste.

About the winemaker Of French and Portuguese descent, Vandella winemaker Aaron Robinson was born into the world of food and wine. At age 10, he began working in the kitchen at his family’s Bay Area restaurant. At 19, he opened his own restaurant which introduced New American fusion to the San Jose Metropolitan area. By 21, he had become a food and wine writer for the Bay Area’s largest circulated newspaper.

All the while, simultaneously working harvests at multiple California wineries and pursuing his other life as an internationally-recognized, Emmy award-winning music composer. To date, Robinson’s catalogue consists of original music for films and commercials such as Underworld, the Winter Olympics, San Francisco Giants, Levis, Visa, Bvlgari, Apple, Google, and countless others.

“Wine, music, and food are the exact same thing: stories. And any good story should have a beginning, middle, and end that is memorable and original. They should take you on a journey, stoke your imagination, and leave you in anticipation of what comes next.” - Aaron Robinson

Don J. Huffman is the winemaker at Rockville Cellars, a boutique winery in the Suisun Valley. Sir Pig, the most popular wine by Rockville Cellars, is an acidic wine with a beautiful nose and compelling flavor profile.

The real story behind SirPig from Rockville Cellars. We wanted a dry, acidic wine with a beautiful nose and compelling flavor profile. This blend of Grenache and Counoise with just a touch of Tempranillo does the trick. Bring on the summer breeze and solo cups.

What is that floating in the wine? Treasure we call it. This is an intentionally coarse-filtered Rosé to protect the phenolic characteristics found in the delicate Counoise grape. The floating particles come from the fermentation process and are perfectly harmless and natural.

What’s in a name? In the early days, winemaker Don J. Huffman raised pigs for 4H right here in Solano County. He was affectionately called “Piggy.” His response was always “SirPig to you!” This wine is a tribute to the feeling you get when drinking a wonderfully light and refreshing wine, you can feel like royalty even until you finish a glass of wine. Please enjoy this wine with a smile.

NOTE: This illustration was created by Don’s daughter Annabelle Huffman @nabbiebelle.”