Palisades Vineyard sits in a small riparian valley northeast of Calistoga in the northern end of the Napa Valley. It is bisected by an occasionally torrential Horns Creek, and is blessed with the kind of cobbley loam soil and very hot summers that are perfectly suited for growing Petite Sirah and other Rhone style wines.
The tradition of grape growing at Palisades Vineyard dates to 1902 when Domenico Barberis, an immigrant from the small village of Murialdo in Genoa, Italy, came to California to find work and make a safe homestead for the family he did not yet have. Gilda Stella (whom Domenico had not met until she came to California at the urging of one of the other Barberis brothers) joined Domenico after he had secured work in the Calistoga mines. He had found the property that became Palisades Vineyard before Gilda arrived; together they planted it to its first vines soon after their wedding. The Barberis's had 6 children all of whom were born at Palisades Vineyard. Domenico and Gilda and then their children farmed Palisades Vineyard for some 90 years.
We quickly discovered our own passion for this 16-acre, dry farmed, gnarly vineyard that surrounds our home. We are constantly amazed by how the vines survive 110 degree summer days without irrigation, how they produce a bounteous crop, even after 35 years, and how the rich fruit produces such a luxurious wine. Truth be told, we did not fully appreciate the true quality of our vines when we bought the ranch. But, it didn't take us long to recognize that a dry farmed vineyard such as this one Frank planted - a vineyard that thrives in rocky soil and is uniformly vigorous - required Frank's old-world skills for which we remain grateful.
