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Bouchaine
Vineyards is the oldest continually operated winery
in the Carneros region of Napa Valley. Established
in 1928 by Italian immigrant Johnny Garetto, and purchased
by Gerret and Tatiana Copeland of Wilmington Delaware
in 1981 the winery has sustained a long legacy of
family ownership. Gerret and Tatiana followed their
dream of specializing in their favorite Burgundian
varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and have specialized
in these varietals for the past 25 years. All vineyard
and winery operations are consistent with the sustainable
theme. The winery’s beautiful façade is
made from recycled redwood from the winery’s
original wine tanks.
Our
vineyards are farmed using sustainable practices leaving
a gentle imprint on the land. Our vineyards have received
the Napa Valley Green Certification, an endorsement
that we are in accordance with the preservation of
our natural resources. Located just north of the San
Pablo and San Francisco Bays, the vineyard is directly
influenced by the fog that rolls in each night. The
shallow, clay loam soils are perfectly suited to Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay. Our winemaking team is a fusion
of seasoned veterans and innovative students of enology
and viticulture.
ouchaine
Vineyards inhabits the oldest continually operated
winery in the Carneros wine region. The site was first
planted to vines and orchards in the mid-1800s by
pioneer Boon Fly. In 1927, before the end of Prohibition,
the property was purchased by Italian immigrant, Johnny
Garetto. After the Repeal he operated perhaps the
first winery with a tasting room in the region.
Garetto
shipped his wine to San Francisco and elsewhere from
Buchli Station, a historic railway station located
at the end of the road of the same name and the address
of the Bouchaine property.
Garetto
sold the ranch to Beringer Brothers in 1951. Beringer
used the winemaking facility for the next thirty years
making upgrades along the way. In 1981 Gerret and
Tatiana Copeland, residents of Wilmington Delaware
and long time admirers of the wines of Burgundy, purchased
the facility from Beringer and established Bouchaine
Vineyards. A massive renovation was completed in 1995
updating the winemaking facility with new technology
and refurbishing the entire facility in a rustic style
that garnered numerous awards from historic and architectural
organizations.
The
most noteworthy change in winemaking style has occurred
recently with the hiring of Michael Richmond as winemaker
and general manager. Mike Richmond has over 30 years
experience in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir production
in the Carneros including his founding Acacia Winery.
He and the Bouchaine winemaking team have updated
both farming and winemaking to bring the wines to
a new standard of excellence.
Winemaking
at Bouchaine Vineyards in Carneros, Napa Valley is
a dynamic process where diversity is created by tailoring
vinification and cellar practices to the individual
vineyard lots. Nonetheless, there is a basic procedure
that defines our philosophical approach and establishes
a reference for operations uniquely suited to each
fermentation lot. The goal is to extract and retain
all of the color and flavor that is delivered in the
grapes
The
pride of Bouchaine owners, Gerret and Tatiana Copeland,
our Estate Vineyards total 85 sustainably farmed acres
of the entire 104 acres of the winery estate.
A
signature of our estate vineyards are the unique twin
hills jutting up from the otherwise gently rolling
hills of the Carneros. Portrayed on our wine label,
the “Garretto Hills” are named for the estates
original founder Johnny Garretto.
The
two hills present a distinctive aspect for the pinot
noir planted there. They are the southern most vineyards
in the Carneros region and some of the highest vineyards
in the region. From atop the hills one can see the
San Pablo and San Francisco bays. The marine influence
from the bay region is tantamount in establishing
the distinctive character of the entire Carneros region.
The
Garetto hills also lord over additional estate vines
that undulate in small rises and valleys around the
winery. Clay loam and cobbled soils, rows of beneficial
grasses set the stage for the pinot noir, chardonnay,
pinot gris and pinot meunier planted there.
Winemaker
Mike Richmond feels that our estate vineyards consistently
produce the best wines in our cellar.
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