With one of the oldest and most interesting histories in Napa Valley, the Ehlers Estate deserve more attention than it currently receives. 

Originally planted in 1886, the estate offers two interesting looks into the history of Napa. First, the winery building itself is one of the few structures to survive multiple earthquakes and to date from before Prohibition.  In this case, it dates four decades before Prohibition.

Secondly, grape vines, unless they’re Zinfandel, can’t last nearly that long so they’ve all been taken out and regrafted etc.  Current owner Jean Leducq has done a masterful job of that, but the original owner Bernard Ehlers did plant some olive trees on the site.  Those trees have stood the test of time and as more winery owners these days look at olive oil as a secondary business model for the valley, you’re seeing olives coming back into Napa agriculutre for the first time since Ehlers had the nerve to plant them.

The star of the show so to speak is the 1886 bottling (as you might expect) which comes in a handsome etched bottle and has repeatedly been rated as a wine to look for from Napa Valley.  Needless to say, this organic vineyard has a place in our wine clubs at some point in the future, it truly is a great story.