Photos courtesy of Baldacci Vineyards
BALDACCI VINEYARDS It’s a Family Affair
BY LAURIE JO MILLER FARR
A
handsome logo embellishes six important words, each independently rich with the strength of the brand’s promise. When strung together, the words “Baldacci Family Estate Vineyards Napa Valley” say it all: A genuine, authentic approach to winemaking that’s invested in genuineness, legacy, stewardship, pride, and a sense of place. Baldacci Family: Above all, at this limited production winery, it’s about family. And they make the hard work sound like fun. Picture Tom (in obligatory Bermuda shorts and crocs) riding a tractor through the vineyards accompanied by Beau, the Cab Lab, while Brenda captures stunning vineyard photos. In various roles, four Baldacci sons Kevin, Matthew, Tommy, and Michael, continue to support the family business in every aspect, from vineyard management to winemaker and from social media conversations to ensuring that meaningful in-person guest experiences are delivered. Estate Vineyards: Initially intended to be a real estate investment in 1998, that plan
shifted as the Baldacci’s settled into the natural beauty of Stags Leap Palisades and the wine country landscape. No wonder the property has changed hands fewer than a dozen times since the 1880s. (And how charming that the original founders were Italian.) Everything having to do with winemaking happens right here on the estate where unspoiled views are due to production being below ground. Importantly, a brandnew cave of 17,000 square feet, several years in the planning, will soon make its debut. A new low-slung hospitality center, designed to harmonize with its surroundings, is due to open in May 2021. Visitors will enjoy tours, private tasting rooms, a wine bar, and an outdoor patio to appreciate lovely wine country vistas. There will be cheese pairings from the on-site kitchen and sessions to present the exploration of the shared vocabulary of food and wine. At Baldacci, there’s always an opportunity to taste beautiful wines and hear directly from a winemaker describing the process, but without getting too technical.
Napa Valley: As philosophers and tastemakers know, bigger doesn’t mean better. The diminutive Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District AVA is known worldwide for its outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. At Baldacci, 9,000 cases in total production include the signature single expression Brenda’s Vineyard Cabernet, a richly textured, fullbodied wine — a classic varietal representing this great growing region. In Calistoga, the warm Stella Knight Vineyard also produces a rich Cabernet. And from the 23-acre Honey B Vineyard in the Carneros AVA, there’s a diversity of casual drinking wines such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Additional portfolio offerings include “Pops,” a sparkling Pinot Noir, as well as Syrah, a Red Wine Blend, and a late harvest Gewürztraminer. Throughout the family’s portfolio, consistency and authenticity comprise the underlying approach. To be sure, there’s humility and gratitude, but no secret alchemy in the Baldacci view of winemaking. FOR MORE INFORMATION Baldaccivineyards.com SPRING 2021
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