Eisele Vineyard Collection

 

The Monumental Historic Terroir of Northern Napa Valley

Situated just east of Calistoga at the foot of the Palisades Mountains,Eisele Vineyard is universally regarded as one of California's most sacred, historic, and iconic winemaking terroirs. First planted to vines in the 1880s, the site achieved world fame under Milton and Barbara Eisele in the late 1960s, providing fruit for legendary historic single-vineyard bottlings by Ridge Vineyards (1971) and Joseph Phelps (1975–1991). In 1990, Bart and Daphne Araujo acquired the estate (operating as Araujo Estate), championing early organic and biodynamic viticulture.

In 2013, the property entered a monumental new chapter when it was acquired by François Pinault’sArtémis Domaines—the prestigious owners of Bordeaux First Growth Château Latour, Clos de Tart, and Champagne Jacquesson. Reverting the winery's name exclusively to Eisele Vineyard, the team applies First Growth rigor to Calistoga’s unique gravelly alluvial fan, producing Cabernet Sauvignons renowned worldwide for their weightless density, mineral verticality, and extraordinary multi-decade cellar longevity.

Viticultural Heritage & Uncompromising Terroir

• Calistoga Alluvial Fan: Nestled against the Vaca Range, the 38-acre vineyard sits on deep, well-drained cobbly and mineral-dense alluvial soils. Protected by the Palisades and cooled by afternoon ocean breezes through the Chalk Hill Gap, it experiences dramatic diurnal shifts that preserve vibrant natural acidity.

• Certified Organic & Biodynamic: Farmed organically since 1998 and certified Demeter Biodynamic since 2002. Cover crops, animal grazing, and natural herbal preparations foster living soil diversity and deep-rooted vine health.

• First Growth Precision: Under CEO Antoine Donnedieu de Vabres and winemaker Hélène Mingot, harvesting is conducted block-by-block with micro-fermentations in concrete, oak, and stainless steel to capture pure site expression.

Portfolio Highlights & Key Bottlings

• Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Flagship): The estate’s defining masterpiece, blended primarily with small additions of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Offers complex aromatics of wild cassis, graphite, dried violets, crushed stone minerality, cocoa powder, and seamless, fine-grained tannins. Cellar worthy for30 to 50+ years.

• Altagracia Cabernet Sauvignon: The secondary estate bottling, named after Bart Araujo's grandmother. Sourced from select blocks across the vineyard, it delivers immediate charm, bright red plum, sweet cedar, bay leaf, and approachable elegance.

• Eisele Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc: Sourced from ancient vines, including rare Musqué clones. Barrel-fermented and aged on fine lees, yielding white peach, lemon curd, lemongrass, exotic floral lift, and an opulent, silky mouthfeel.

• Eisele Vineyard Syrah: A rare, tiny-production estate release grown on cool, gravelly blocks. Bursting with dark blackberry, black pepper, smoked bacon fat, and savory iron-rich minerality.

Epicurean Food Pairings & Decanting Protocol

• Decanting Guidance: Youthful vintages of Eisele Vineyard Cabernet are tightly structured and benefit from 2 to 3 hours of decanting before service to unlock complex floral and mineral nuances.

• Gastronomic Companions: Prime dry-aged bone-in ribeye, herb-crusted rack of lamb, roasted venison loin with juniper reduction, braised beef short ribs, and wild mushroom risotto.

• Artisanal Cheeses: 36-month Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Comté, and firm sheep's milk cheeses.