As everyone knows, Stags Leap is famous for the cabernet and cabernet blends it produces, and Ilsley Vineyards itself is known primarily for our cabernets as well as our Seis Primas blend, of which we are incredibly proud. We’ve said it before, and we’ll continue to say it – Robert Mondavi convincing our grandfather to plant Bordeaux varietals on the property was the best advice our family has ever received. There’s no doubt that cabernet is king here in Napa, but it must be said that man cannot live by cabernet alone… so how do we keep our lineup fresh, when there is only so much available space to plant vines on our home turf?
The answer is relationships. One of the main advantages to being lifelong Yountvillians as well as vineyard managers and growers ourselves, is the continued opportunity to strengthen existing bonds, meet the right people, manage the right vineyards, and to leverage those connections in a mutually beneficial way.
Point in case: a few years ago we were able to add a white wine to our lineup. Now, anyone who has visited us knows that we do not grow white grapes on the ranch, but Janice especially loves sauv blanc, and we had long wanted to produce one of our own. Luckily, some neighbors to the northwest of us at Gamble Family Vineyards (we played little league with the Gamble kids!) are known far and wide for their delicious sauv blancs – and David and Ernie just happen to manage their vineyards for them. When the time was right, they offered us a contract, which we were delighted to take. Et voila, Ilsley Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc.
Just down the road, lies the well-known Quixote property, which was owned from its inception by the Doumani family – another wonderful family we grew up with, and another property we have over 60 years of familiarity with. While the Doumani’s no longer own Quixote, we llsleys manage these historic vineyards for the new ownership. Thanks to this continuing bond we are excited to offer our club members a release of Stags Leap Appellation petite sirah later this year.
As we mentioned (yes, we are very proud of Ilsley Vineyard Management!) Ernie and David work with some of the most sought-after vineyards out there, managing plantings in both Napa and Sonoma counties. They’ve brought us many incredible opportunities through these working friendships, and when we get the chance to work with another multigenerational wine-growing family with a stellar reputation, whom we have known for years….. well, we jump at it! This year, we are thrilled to be releasing a fun, limited edition run of Pinot Noir. In this case, we can’t tell you who or where it came from, just know that we know, and they are AWESOME! And while most of this wine made its way into the hands of our wine club members, we do have a very little left over to share with the wider mailing list soon.
The Ilsley family has been growing grapes in Napa Valley for over 70 years, and our legacy is cemented in the fruit we grow and the wine we produce. Given that, it is perhaps quite easy to overlook the fact that the valley is also our home. It’s the place where we were born and the place we’ve had the pleasure of raising our children. Our relationship to our community is no less important to us than our relationship to the land we tend. In fact, we feel that these interpersonal roots and relationships are vital to the survival of our family’s brand as we move forward and into the future.
All of this to say, that we (to quote the Beatles) get by with a little help from our friends, adding a welcome and ever-changing vitality to our offerings. It’s this ability to compliment our core lineup of fabulous cabernet and Bordeaux based wines and to grow via longstanding relationships that will keep Ilsley Vineyards on the map and on your table for years to come.