Trefethen Vineyards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trefethen Family Vineyards |
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| Location | Napa, California, USA |
| Appellation | Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA |
| Formerly | Eshcol |
| Founded | 1968 |
| First vintage | 1973 |
| Key people | John, Janet, Lorenzo & Hailey Trefethen Jon Ruel, President Bryan Kays, Winemaker David Whitehouse, Winemaster |
| Known for | Estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Varietals | Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Red Blend, Petit Verdot |
| Other products | Olive Oil, Fig Jam, Orange Marmalade |
| Tasting | open to public |
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Eshcol Winery
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1160 Oak Knoll Ave., Napa, California |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1886 |
| Built by | Hamden W. McIntyre |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001155 |
| Added to NRHP | July 16, 1987 |
| Website | http://www.trefethen.com |
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Trefethen Family Vineyards is a well-known winery located in Napa Valley, California. It was started in 1968 by the Trefethen family. They are famous for making wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Contents
History of Trefethen Vineyards
The land where Trefethen Family Vineyards now stands has a long history. Part of it was once home to a winery called Eshcol. This name means "lush cluster of grapes" in an old language.
The Original Eshcol Winery
The original Eshcol winery building was built way back in 1886. It was designed by a Scottish sea captain named Hamden McIntyre. He created a special "gravity-flow system" for making wine. This system used gravity to move the grapes and juice through the building.
Here is how the gravity-flow system worked:
- Grapes were brought to the third floor.
- Gravity then pulled the juice down to the second floor for fermenting.
- Finally, the wine went to the first floor for aging.
The vineyards kept going even during a time called Prohibition in the United States. During Prohibition, it was illegal to make or sell alcohol. However, the Eshcol vineyards were allowed to grow grapes for making sacramental wine, which is used in religious ceremonies. By 1940, the vineyards and winery building were no longer used.
Restoring the Historic Winery
The Eshcol building was badly damaged by an earthquake in 2014. After more than two years of hard work, the winery building was fully repaired and improved.
In 1968, Eugene Trefethen and his wife Katie bought the Eshcol property. They also bought six other pieces of land to create Trefethen Vineyards. They started replanting the vineyards and fixing up the old winery building.
Their efforts to restore the historic winery were recognized in 1988. The Department of the Interior added the winery to the National Register of Historic Places. It was special because it was the only 19th-century wooden winery in Napa County that still used the gravity-flow system.
Katie Trefethen also created a beautiful garden at the winery. This garden has been shown in many magazines and is a popular place for people who love gardening to visit. Eugene Trefethen passed away in 1996, and Katie Trefethen passed away in 2007.
Awards and Recognition
Trefethen Family Vineyards has won important awards for its wines. In 1979, a special event called the "Wine Olympics" was held. This event was organized by a French magazine called Gault Millau.
Many wines from different countries were judged by experts. The 1976 Trefethen Vineyards Chardonnay wine won first place in its group. It was even named the best Chardonnay in the world!
