Dear Friends,

In honor of our 40th anniversary, we have spent the past several issues of our newsletter looking back at the history of Chappellet, and reflecting on our family’s life here on Pritchard Hill. As one of California’s oldest family-owned wineries, it has been a good opportunity for us to reconnect with our past, and to take stock of where we are going. Some things have changed over the decades, but our values and ideals have remained constant—in particular, our relationship with the land, and with our customers.

The future of Chappellet is looking bright and greener and greener. Through the passionate work of our second generation, and for the benefit of generations to come, we recently completed the organic certification of 51 acres of vineyards, and installed a new solar-energy array capable of generating the winery’s entire electrical needs.

Our August Pritchard Hill Club Party, with its Farmer’s Market theme, and our educational sessions on Pritchard Hill organic practices, spoke clearly of our commitment to protecting the environment. We hope you will enjoy reading more about it.

We are just completing our 2008 Harvest marking our official forty years of harvesting grapes on Pritchard Hill. The quantity appears a bit light, but the good news is that often portents outstanding quality.


With Best Harvest Wishes,

2008 Pritchard Hill Club Party

The Pritchard Hill Club Party was truly an expression of what’s happening on Pritchard Hill – going green. In keeping with our commitment to sustainable business and agricultural practices, we chose a Farmers Market theme. Guests were invited to explore three arenas exhibiting different activities.

On the picnic meadow, we highlighted environmentally conscious companies displaying their extraordinary artesian products. The winery provided tastings from our treasured wine library and christened our recently installed solar system. In the vineyard, fascinating organic vineyard and vegetable garden tours were led by Amigo Bob, Dave and Jon-Mark.



At the picnic grounds, The Pritchard Hill Farmers Market offered organic olive oil, honey, beef, chicken, seafood, beautiful heirloom tomatoes, homemade ice cream, locally baked goods, and products made from recycled wine barrels and banners. Enticing menus were prepared from each purveyor to pair with our selected wines. Lygia, our artist daughter, drove up from Big Sur to share with us her magnificent goat cheeses. The added surprise was the arrival of her newly cast, life-size bronze goat which we exhibited in the Winery.

 Recycled items were not only displayed in the booths, but the booths themselves, designed by Blakesley, used our discarded barrels as table bases. Coarse burlap was stretched over thick bamboo poles to created shade and a handsome and inviting marketplace.

 Adding to the excitement of the day were three popular booths that raised $5,000 for the Napa County Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom: the grandchildren’s “Lemon-Aid” stand, the ring toss over gnarled Chenin Blanc vines, and an “Auction of Cultivation,” a 2007 blend created just for the party. The proceeds will be used to launch an organic Farming in the Schoolyard Program in Napa County.

Those who joined the organic garden tours were rewarded not only with knowledge but with baskets of vegetables to take home. On the vineyard tours, guests witnessed the composting operation which produces over 200 tons of compost each year to enhance vineyard health and vitality.

They learned that 90% of our grapes are grown using organic methods and 50 % of our vineyards have been certified organic. But our environmental initiatives extend far beyond the vineyard. In July, we completed the installation of our solar panels and the winery became 100 percent solar powered. Our party guests had a chance to tour this photovoltaic system, which will reduce greenhouse gases by 4,513,275 lbs over a 30-year period. That's the equivalent to planting over 40,000 trees.

Throughout the day, guests became aware of our sustainable, organic and socially responsible approach to winegrowing and winemaking that champions conservation, recycling, alternative energy sources and ethical business practices.

The most thrilling part of the day for the family was to witness Jon-Mark’s arrival on his bright orange vintage 1948 Allis Chalmers tractor; he had been working for months converting it from gas to electric power.

Bravo Jon-Mark!