Built back in 1870, El Molino (the bail mill in Spanish) fell into disrepair and was finally rescured in 1981.  If we stop and think about it for a moment, how amazing that time must have been in America for those that really loved wine.  Napa has recently surpassed Bordeaux in a blind taste test of French wine judges and almost a full decade after the decision of Paris, there were still historical properties available in Napa that could be had for relative peanuts.

Reg Oliver rehabbed the property but didn’t live long enough to see the entire project through unfortuantely, so his daughter Lily took over production of their 2,000 cases of wine.

I’m often asked how people can get away from only drinking Chardonnay and Cabernet while in Napa and El Molino offers a respite from the latter, at least, making Pinot Noir in lieu of Cabernet.

The winery is located in St. Helena, but the grapes are actually Rutherford, making the winery one of the very few growing Pinot Noir on what has been called sacred ground for Cabernet.

For me, what better wine to offer in a wine of the month club shipment, right?