The real story is about the grapevine but we'll get to that in a minute...
We are David and Karen Dunphy and our home and vineyard are in the
Napa Valley, in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains; the range
that runs up along the western side of the valley. We live among our
vines and we see them and tend to them daily. We came here from
Minnesota where both of us were born and raised and have spent most of our
lives.
David first came to Napa in 1978 and although the day was an overcast,
drizzling, early spring afternoon, I believed I had found the garden of
Eden. I had been an avid wine enthusiast but this was my first experience with California wines. I introduced Karen to Napa Valley several years later and her love for Napa was
immediate. Over the years we had a once-in-a-lifetime experience of
spending time in Napa Valley when it was no more than rural farm
country. We got to know the families of some of the most famous (now
famous) wine producers in the valley. This was before tasting rooms so
we would sit in their kitchens, on their porches, and in their farm
offices and drink their wine with them. I remember clearly how each and
every one of these wine pioneers had a pride and passion about the
wines they were producing and they couldn't wait to share them with
other wine lovers, like us. These people were our inspiration to someday
make our own wine.
By the time we purchased our home in the Mayacamas
Mountains we had a very clear picture of the type of wines from
Northern California that we wanted to make. For us the key to making a
good wine is balance. Balance of the fruit, acidity, oak, tannins and
all the components of the wine in harmony. The key to a great wine is to add character and complexity, with layers of intriguing flavors.
There are a lot of very good winemakers in Napa Valley and then there is
a handful of famous winemakers that have risen to the top. Our task was
to find a winemaker that would be able to work closely with us to
achieve our vision of great wines.
