Winemaker Notes
Napa Cellars has been making wine for more than 40 years in the Napa Valley, on its original property of 5 acres along Highway 29 in Oakville. Thankful to have been graced by prominent Napa families in its early days, such as the Franks and the Rombauers, Napa Cellars now paves its own path, building on the rich heritage to craft wines that are a classic, unmistakable interpretation of the Napa Valley. Napa Cellars now owns three vineyards: Vista Montone Vineyard is located in South Napa Valley, and provides the fruit for Napa Cellars Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Main Street Vineyard is located in St. Helena, Napa Valley, and provides the fruit for Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Salvador Vineyard is located in Oak Knoll AVA, north of Downtown Napa, and provides fruit for the Cabernet Sauvignon.
The founder of Napa Cellars, Charlie Woods, started a tasting room in a geodesic dome that still welcomes guests today. This warm and casual tasting room is the perfect first or last stop for any visitor to Napa. Conveniently located on Highway 29, the friendly tasting staff encourages wine novices and connoisseurs alike to try their well-worth-the price Napa Valley wines. The winemaker for Napa Cellars, Joe Shirley, grew up in Napa Valley but never became interested in wine until he crossed paths with an influential wine buyer in England. Upon returning home, Joe dove into the wine industry head first. Joe realized he was meant to live a life at the intersection of scientific precision and passionate artistry. This life exists now in the vineyard, in the cellar, and ultimately in the glass, where a sense of place-and his expression of that place, comes to life. “I don’t try to put a big winemaker signature on my wines,” Joe says. “The terroir of the vineyards here is so distinct, so extraordinary; I simply guide the wine toward the purest interpretation of the land.”