Foley Family Wines & Spirits’ vision for the iconic wines of Silverado Vineyards
After bringing on only its third winemaker in more than four decades, this legendary Napa Valley winery is pivoting towards the future, without losing the essence of its storied history.
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Silverado Vineyards winery sits on a hilltop in the renowned Stags Leap District.
(Image credit: Silverado Vineyards winery sits on a hilltop in the renowned Stags Leap District)
Silverado Vineyards is regarded as a Stags Leap District pioneer: it was one of the first wineries to plant Cabernet Sauvignon there in the 1960s. The history of the estate reaches back even further – it was originally planted to vine between 1868 and 1882.
As the winery’s many loyal fans know, Silverado Vineyards was founded in 1981 by Walt Disney’s widow, Lillian, and her daughter and son-in-law, Diane Disney Miller and Ron Miller, a former CEO of Walt Disney Productions.
Like a storied sports franchise whose infrequent coaching changes make major headlines, Silverado notably had only two winemakers in its multi-decade history: Jack Stuart and then Jon Emmerich.
Now, under the ownership of Foley Family Wines & Spirits (selected by the next generation of the Miller family in 2022), Silverado has passed the winemaking torch once again, to Alison Rodriguez.
Winemaker Alison Rodriguez in the estate vineyards.
(Image credit: Credit Unknown)
Polishing a gemstone
Rodriguez was mentored by some of the most inspiring talents in the winemaking world, including Celia Welch, Laurie Hook, Paul Hobbs, Dave Guffy and Mark Beringer. ‘Prior to Silverado, I put that inspiration to work in every sub-AVA within this valley, which gave me a solid idea of how to hit the ground running,’ she recalls.
‘I’m focused on polishing a gemstone and allowing the vineyards to express themselves to their fullest extent,’ she adds.
Rodriguez’s point about not changing the winery’s core is apt: Silverado Vineyards’ legacy is one that warrants reverence. At the 1987 International Wine and Spirit Competition, all of Silverado’s entries won gold medals, and Jack Stuart was named Winemaker of the Year.
Later, in 1999, the University of California, Davis granted the Silverado Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon clone Heritage status – one of just three Cabernets to achieve that distinction, and the only one from Stags Leap District. Wine & Spirits Magazine named Silverado Vineyards among its Top 100 Wineries of 2017, and Silverado’s releases have amassed more than 150 scores of 90 points or above from critics.
To mark the beginning of its new era, Silverado is undergoing a digital transformation, with a six-part YouTube video series featuring in-depth conversations with Rodriguez about her winemaking approach.
There’s also an immersive, drone-based digital experience in the works, exploring all five of Silverado’s vineyards across esteemed AVAs like Stags Leap District, Coombsville, Yountville and Carneros (a rarity in Napa Valley, Silverado’s wines remain fully estate-grown, -produced and -bottled).
A highlight of Silverado’s new approach is the single-vineyard Miller Ranch white, now the fastest-growing Sauvignon Blanc from a Napa appellation in retail — both by total monetary value and by case volume, according to leading US market research company Circana.
‘As a graduate of the Fachhochschule Geisenheim in Germany, I spent many early years working with bright aromatic white wines,’ recalls Rodriguez.
‘Our Sauvignon Blanc benefits from my time and experience there and exemplifies my philosophy of white winemaking: creating wines with energy and verve, like a breath of fresh air,’ she explains.
The single-vineyard Miller Ranch Sauvignon Blanc.
(Image credit: Credit Unknown)
The story continues
Rodriguez is also enthusiastic about how Silverado’s reds have developed since she began her tenure: ‘We are so excited to share the first vintages emerging from our new ownership and new winemaking leadership: our 2022 Silverado Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is already available, and our flagship Stags Leap District 2022 SOLO single-vineyard Cabernet will be released this September’ (the latter sourced from one of the first vineyards ever planted in the appellation).
The mix of steadfast legacy, new ownership and a fresh but experienced winemaking perspective has Silverado well-positioned for future success. ‘What is and will always remain the same at Silverado Vineyards,’ emphasises Rodriguez, ‘is our 325 acres [132ha] of estate vineyards.’
‘At its core,’ the winemaker reflects, ‘Silverado Vineyards will always remain true to the place and our estate.’
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