Ron and Diane Miller purchased land in the Stags Leap District in the early 1970s and promptly began growing quality grapes. In 1981 they broke ground on their own winery construction project and decided to produce the best wines at the fairest price. The Silverado Vineyard philosophy is dedicated to letting the wines express the character of the grapes grown on the property-be it Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sangiovese, or Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Millers are long time supporters of the department and its research endeavors.
Established in 1979 in honor of Fred, Rachel, and Arthur Rossi, this award supports an undergraduate or graduate student from Napa Valley who aspires to a career in the wine industry. Recipients are selected based on academic excellence, leadership, and financial need.
Rich and Saralee Kunde proudly offer fruit from over 75 clonal selections of 16 wine and 17 table grape varietals on six separate vineyard sites in Sonoma County, totaling over 500 acres. The Kunde's diverse collection of high-quality varietals is meticulously planted, cultivated, harvested, and data tracked year after year.
On March 10, 1971, the North Coast Grape Growers Association (NCGGA) created a fund to support research directly connected the cultural problems related to growing grapes in the North Coast premium table wine grape industry.
In August of 2006, after 43 years of service to the growing community, the North Coast Grape Growers Association voted to discontinue operations and join the California Association of Winegrape Growers. The membership was transfered with a margin of 96.8% of the NCGGA supporting the move.
The Orange County Wine Society was established in 1976 due to the efforts of Brad Horton, an Orange County wine retailer. The concept was a simple one: each year only certain varietals would be judged according to consumer price catagories--inexpensive, moderate, and premium. All wines would have to be commerically available in Orange County, and all wines within the selected varietal would be judged. The first judging was held in 1977, and the event has grown ever since.
An adventurer by heart, Nathan Fay grew up in Piedmont, California. He was pursuing a mining degree from Michigan Tech when he was offered the opportunity to do construction in Los Angeles in 1932. At the height of the Depression, he travel west again on his Indian motorcycle. World War II found Fay serving in Europe; he did a bit of of everything during his post war years before coming to the Napa Valley to sell International Harvester farm equipment.
