Paloma Wineyard

In the late 1970s, Barbara and Jim Richards started to visit the Napa Valley frequently and fell in love with the area and its people. They have always had an interest in wine, both in its making and its consumption, in food and gardening. In 1980, they  were living in Midland, Texas, and began thinking about a second home; we decided to start looking for a small property in the Napa Valley were they could build a home and plant a small vineyard. This dream was realized in 1983 when a friend of theirs, Dan Duckhorn, called and told them about the property they now call Paloma Vineyard.

The property is located five miles west of St. Helena at the top of Spring Mountain. In the last half of the 19th century it was a vineyard, but was allowed to return forest about the turn of the century. They still find old redwood grape stakes and even a few old zinfandel vines that survive under the large Douglas fir trees that surround their home. Their vine near the house produces one or two clusters of grapes a year that are put into our Merlot blend for good luck. The purchase of this raw land was the beginning of an odyssey that is ongoing, ever changing, but with one goal to grow the best grapes possible and make  wine that reflects the terroir of their vineyard.

For those interested in such things: the elevation of Paloma Vineyard is 2060 feet above sea level at the bottom of our property and 2240 at the top, exposure is generally east with many variations, and the soils are derived from the Sonoma volcanics and from Franciscan sandstone. Total acreage is 20 acres with 15 acres planted.

 

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