Napa Valley's Most Philanthropic Wine Label Debuts Tasting Salon

Living a valiant life is something for which Vida Valiente founders are aiming. Today, the winery is proud to announce the opening of its tasting salon in downtown Napa. Founded by vintner-philanthropists Hayes Drumwright & Susana Cueva Drumwright and winemakers Sam & Nancy Kaplan, the label debuted in late fall 2021 with its release of 2019 The Movement™ , its flagship Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The tasting salon was opened is an effort to meet consumer demand for Vida Valiente following critical acclaim and outstanding accolades for not only their wines, but their mission statement and follow-through as well.

Vida Valiente is both a winery and a philanthropic foundation, building bridges for first-generation low-income students with tuition & unparalleled resources to help them succeed. Their wines are priced at $250 per bottle, with $100 from each sale going directly to the Vida Valiente Foundation . Through leadership, financial scholarships and annual retreats, the Foundation gives admitted college students unprecedented exposure to professionals who grew up in similar circumstances, all of whom have made brave moves and can open doors to what’s possible. Meet some of the current Vida Valiente scholars here .

The wines are crafted by superstar winemaker Sam Kaplan, whose talents put Vida Valiente on the map for serious Napa Valley collectors from its very first vintage. A master in the art of Cabernet Sauvignon, Kaplan pulls from the label’s three vineyard sources for The Movement™; each vineyard source is also featured as a distinct single vineyard Vida Valiente bottling. A symbolic nod to the mission of the Foundation, all Vida Valiente wines come from first plantings of virgin vines nestled within pristine terroir: the obsidian-inflected Vida Valiente Estate vineyard in St. Helena, as well as new plantings within Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and High Ranch in Coombsville. Prior to cofounding Vida Valiente, Kaplan ran the winemaking for Arkenstone, Memento Mori, and Vangone.

Located at 68 Coombs Street , in the Tannery Bend district just south of downtown Napa, the Vida Valiente tasting salon experience is highly personalized and is meant for serious wine collectors and enthusiasts. The space features artwork by SN (Shlomi Nissim), a renowned contemporary Israeli artist whose work, using preserved butterflies as his medium, anchors the room with its desaturated modern aesthetic and evokes the Vida Valiente mission with its hopeful transformational motif.

The brick building (formerly home to Memento Mori and Favia before that) dates from the 1920s and is next to the 1880s wooden Sawyer Tannery building, once the largest tannery west of the Mississippi and where the region’s leather industry began in 1869.

“ We have been overwhelmed by the response to Vida Valiente ,” said Susana Cueva Drumwright, Vida Valiente co-founder and CEO of its Foundation. “ We are so proud of the beautiful wines that Sam has created and are thrilled that we can now offer a dedicated space for the many collectors who have inquired about how Vida Valiente can be experienced in Napa Valley. It’s important to us that we remain discoverable for those seeking out Vida Valiente, and establishing a brick and mortar means of introduction to future clients whose support of our wines will have a lasting impact on dozens, soon hundreds, and ultimately thousands of low-income, first-generation students .”

Vida Valiente made headlines recently when it raised over $1.25 Million at its second annual Napa in Cabo auction in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in January. The Vida Valiente Foundation is currently supporting 73 scholars, all of whom will continue to benefit from the scholarships and mentorship through their four-year matriculation at Stanford. Now in its sophomore year, Vida Valiente will introduce a new class of 25 to 35 freshmen scholars each year.

To book an appointment to experience the Vida Valiente tasting salon, please inquire at info@vvwinery.com or call 707-819-2409.