Ernie and June Ilsley began the family legacy of grape growing in the 1950’s, purchasing their first 40 acres as a retirement project; expanding their holdings in 1963 by 114 acres with the addition of the Downey Ranch property. Named for the gentleman who sold them the land and whose family had been growing grapes there since the late 1800’s, Downey Ranch is now the heart of the Ilsley Family’s vineyards, and the estate fruit source for the wines produced today. 

An avid enthusiast who immersed himself in the winemaking community, Ernie sold grapes to many of the Napa Valley’s “pioneer” brands, including Charles Krug and Mondavi. Most notably, he was instrumental in establishing the Stag’s Leap AVA.

Ernie and June’s son Ed and his wife Sandy carried on the business of farming grapes in the Stag’s Leap District, with Ed pulling double duty between his career with Kaiser Steel Corporation and managing the family vineyards, and Sandy working for the Napa and St. Helena School Districts. Traditional farmers at heart, Ed and Sandy weren’t afraid to embrace new vineyard practices and conduct research in the vineyards in conjunction with other local growers. 

Together they raised their three children on the Ilsley Family estate, ensuring that the love of the land would be deeply rooted in the next generation as well.

Siblings Ernie, David and Janice Ilsley changed the game by introducing a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the family estate, founding the Ilsley Vineyards brand beloved by collectors the world over.

Ernie is a rootstock and clone specialist with vast experience within the wine industry. Formerly the Director of Sales and Management for NovaVine, he now directs operations for Ilsley Vineyards and Ilsley Vineyard Management, which not only oversees the family vineyards, but also specializes in personalized farming plans for other premier estates in the Napa Valley. Ernie and his wife Ginette raised their three daughters Julia, Alyssa and Olivia on the Family Estate. 

David has spent his illustrious career directing the operations at Shafer Vineyards, the Ilsley’s Stag’s Leap District neighbor. His responsibilities begin at the soil and end in the glass, and his expertise in all things winery and vineyard planning related combined with his practical nature lend perfectly to directing viticulture for Ilsley Vineyard Management. David and his wife Lorrie have raised their two daughters Analise and Kate on the family estate as well.  

Janice is a teacher for a private Montessori School in the Napa Valley, with a seemingly endless knowledge of the history and fabric of the Napa Valley. Jan has the ability to make everyone she meets feel like a treasured friend, and that coupled with her welcoming, gregarious personality and vivacious nature makes her the perfect person to lead direct sales and hospitality for Ilsley Vineyards. Jan and her husband Al live in Napa. She has a daughter, Kimberly, who (together with her husband Rea) is also in the wine industry, and her grandson Lev, was born in 2021.

Kimberly, Julia, Alyssa, Analise, Kate and Olivia are the fourth generation of Ilsleys in Stag’s Leap. Raised in the family vineyards, these six girl cousins (or Seis Primas in Spanish) are the future of the family’s farming legacy, and in 2004 Ilsley Vineyards released the Seis Primas blend in their honor. While the blend differs from year to year, Seis Primas is one of Ilsley Vineyards’ most beloved wines, sourced from 6 estate vineyard blocks on the Downey Ranch Estate.