Historic Napa Valley Vineyard Celebrates Potential of Its Young Vines With New Release

If you are like me and found an obsession in the older bottlings of Heitz Cellars—back when Joe Heitz was a pioneer in Napa Valley exposing some of the best fruit in the valley—then it's likely you've opened a life-changing bottle that came from the Bella Oaks Vineyard . In 2023 the property celebrated 50 years since its initial planting, put in the ground by initial owners Belle & Barney Rhodes, who acquired the 14-acre property back in 1968 and initially owned & planted the famed Martha's Vineyard. In 2010, current owner Suzanne Deal Booth made the move to acquire the property with a reverence for the history of the property, and concern for the state in which she and her team found the vineyard. With a series of vine re-planting the famed vineyard necessary for its health, this challenged Deal Booth and her esteemed team of David Abreu as viticulturist and Nigel Kinsman as winemaker to present young vines from the illustrious vineyard...enter Le Génie.

Le Génie is a Cabernet Sauvignon that foretells Bella Oaks' bright future. The fruit of a fastidious replanting of this historic vineyard, Le Génie offers the exuberant immediacy and approachability of youthful vines. It is a tribute to both the hardworking hands and the hand of fate that continue to guide the destiny of this place. Grown in alluvial dark gravel and bale clay loams over ancient volcanics, the fruit comes from the historic footprint of Bella Oaks' Block 1. The wine is comprised of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. 552 cases produced | $160 retail price

Initially, Deal Booth sold the Bella Oaks fruit to her neighbor, Staglin Family Vineyard. Her belief in the vineyard’s historical significance warranted its own voice and identity, which inspired her to partner with one of Napa’s most regarded viticulturists, David Abreu, and two of the region’s top winemakers—Nigel Kinsman and French master blender Michel Rolland—to help her craft the next generation of Bella Oaks wines. The 2018 Bella Oaks was the first vintage released in 2021. This new era of Bella Oaks Vineyard releases is sure to open eyes to those who remember the brilliance of the vineyard from past historic bottlings. We must give big thanks Joe Heitz!

Click here to join the Bella Oaks mailing list to get access to Le Génie and future releases of Bella Oaks Vineyard wines