Our Atlas Peak Enologist, Derek Irwin, graduated from the University of California, Davis, and started his career as an enologist and assistant winemaker at Cosentino Winery in Yountville and then moved to Bouchaine Vineyards where his brilliant skills were utilized as assistant winemaker. Derek was privileged to work under the mentorship of world renowned Italian enologist, Alberto Antonini. In the late 1990's he moved to Viansa Winery and led their wine programs as Chief Winemaker and Vineyard Manager.
Our ambition has always been to produce a premier Grand Cru Napa "First Growth" from the terroir of our high elevation volcanic mountain vineyard, and I believe we have not only achieved that, but are also the most passionately made wine in America. We may make many compromises in life, but never with our wine.
2010
In 2010 we received our official California Alcoholic Beverage Control Sales license as well as our permit from the State Board of Equalization, which authorizes us to sell wines of premier quality.2016
In September of 2016 we completed the purchase of the 24.5 acre Ardente Estate Winery, an Atlas Peak AVA, Napa mountain winery and vineyards whose high-ranking Cabernet Sauvignon have achieved notable accolades and top awards among California’s finest premier Cabernet Sauvignon wines. We officially formed Atlas Peak Mountain Winery LLC and are thrilled to have secured this truly magical vineyard.2016
In November 2016 we secured our official Federal TTB Winery license (Winegrower 2) allowing us to grow estate grapes, ferment them into alcoholic wines and sell them directly to our customers while collecting taxes of course!2017
Mother Nature brought us the devastation of the Atlas Peak October 2017 fires, completely destroying our Winery and numerous buildings and structures, thus, we are now faced with the rebuilding and permitting challenges of County of Napa. We are not yet permitted to be open to the public at this time. The majority of our 2017 vintage was harvested hours before the fires arrival.2018
Our 2015 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon received the coveted CWSA 2018 Wine of the Year award, as well as the Double Gold Medal out of 4,163 entrants. An amazing silver lining to 2017's disaster.2019
The French Laundry is an epic culinary experience to what Anthony Bourdain has called “the best restaurant in the world, period” and represents the pinnacle of the fine California dining experience, topping every foodie’s bucket list. In 2014 The French Laundry’s wine list was awarded The World of Fine Wine’s highest rating and in 2019 The French Laundry added Sill Family Vineyards’ 2015 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon to its wine menu.2022
We completed planting and nurturing 8 new vineyard blocks consisting of 110R rootstock, clone 7 certified Cabernet Sauvignon vines. A four year farming effort which will bear exceptional production fruit this 2024 harvest season.The Winemaker
Winemaker, Igor, became passionate about Bordeaux wines after being introduced to Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Lafite Rothschild in the late 1970s by H. Lyman Emerson, a renaissance gentleman and noted fine wine collector. In 1997 through 2010 Igor worked with Francois Pinault’s Group Artemis, owner of Château Latour. Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification and lies in the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region of Bordeaux.
Igor went on to become a Court of Master Sommelier, judging wine competitions including the annual International Wine Challenge, earned his Masters at Oxford University’s Merton College and learned his winemaking craft via UC Davis’ viticulture program. He worked at Italian wine producer, V. Sattui Winery and Opus One Winery in Napa. Igor acquired the St. Helena appellation property some twenty nine years prior and fell in love with Napa’s numerous microclimates and unique terroirs. Thereafter, he started a thorough search for an extraordinary volcanic mountain vineyard. That search lead to the purchase of the twenty four acre Atlas Peak Mountain Winery property (formerly Ardente Estate Winery) in 2016, turning his passion for collecting fine Bordeaux and Burgundian wines into a love for producing it with an artisian Old-World approach.
Igor chose Napa’s high elevation Atlas Peak volcanic appellation on the Vaca mountain ridge given its longer sun exposure and cooler nights because it presents an obscure, distinctive area for truly great wines, those with profound boldness, elegance, density and character. There are numerous soil characteristics which provide this specific site with the mysteries that unfold in this volcanic mountain plateau’s exceptional terroir. This vineyard represents a unique piece of Napa winemaking history as it was one of the most difficult to plant, hard to farm and its quality is truly exceptional. Of course, the small size of the vineyard limits production, but then, it also produces some of the greatest cabernet fruit Napa has to offer each and every year. This secluded piece of land is turning the heads of wine critics and collectors worldwide.
There is an undeniable interest in wines born of volcanic origin, interest which seems to have evolved into a significant upward trend in the wine world. Any restaurant with pretensions of discovering beautiful, ultra premium wines will have an Atlas Peak red wine listed these days. Igor spends considerable time walking this volcanic vineyard, developing an appreciation for every row of vines in his Atlas Peak mountain vineyard. The rootstocks receive excellent drainage as a result of the igneous volcanic rock’s structure, moisture retention and aeration characteristics when combined with ideal exposure to sunlight. These wines possess all the elements of greatness, an individuality combined with elegance, extraordinary complexity, remarkable aging potential, remaining faithful to the vineyard’s pedigree. It’s this understanding and an integrated natural and precision farming approach to growing grapes that allows him to produce wines that reflect the essence, soul and spirit of this volcanic mountain range, because exceptional wines are truly created from exceptional grapes.
Like any other great work, his arose out of the passion for uncompromised quality in creating exceptional wines. As a result, his wines are receiving world-wide rave reviews for their powerful expressiveness, density, character, elegance and silk-long finish. “We’ve uncovered an amazingly serene and peaceful lifestyle along with the challenges that volcanic viticulture and Napa Valley offers.” Fine wine, sunshine, great food and romance are enticements that seduces everyone who visits here.
$59
très Chardonnay Brut Sparkling
Our très Chardonnay Brut Sparkling opens with expressive aromas and exotic blends of elegance and finesse. Striving for finesse rather than overflowing power, our très Méthode Champenoise sparkling exudes a silky, dry, delicate texture and finishes with a longing desire for a second glass. À votre santé!
Only available by calling Winemaker Igor Sill directly at 415-244-4646 or email me at igor.sill@gmail.com
$195
2016 très Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
Crafted utilizing classic, Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux-style techniques from grapes grown and harvested from our legendary Rutherford bench Georges De Latour vineyards - only a few cases left!
$195
2017 très Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
Crafted utilizing classic, Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux-style techniques from grapes grown and harvested from the legendary Rutherford bench, Napa vineyards.
$195
2018 très Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
Crafted utilizing classic, Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux-style techniques from grapes grown and harvested from our legendary Rutherford bench Georges De Latour vineyards.
$65
2018 très Rosé de Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
Blends the very best of both wine worlds with the elegance, purity of fruit, harmony of an exceptional Burgundian Chardonnay along with the richness, complexity and depth of a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon.
$65
2017 très Rosé de Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
Blends the very best of both wine worlds with the elegance, purity of fruit, harmony of an exceptional Burgundian Chardonnay along with the richness, complexity and depth of a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon.
$65
2017 très Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
The style of our 2017 très Chardonnay blends elegance, purity of fruit, harmony and finesse. We’re a small, boutique Napa vintner producing a limited number of barrels of exceptional Sonoma Coast grown Chardonnay.
$85
2017 très Merlot, Atlas Peak
Shows lovely cherry-like aromas with hints of sibling Cabernet’s herbaceousness, and cream-tinged softer tannins over those found in Cabernet Sauvignon.
Only available by calling Winemaker Igor Sill directly at 415-244-4646 or email me at igor.sill@gmail.com
$65.00
2018 très Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
The style of our 2018 très Chardonnay blends elegance, purity of fruit, harmony and finesse. We're a small boutique Napa vintner crafting a Burgundian-style, limited number of cases of exceptional Sonoma Coast grown Chardonnay.
Très Mêlé de Rouge
Our très Mêlé de Rouge follows Margaux’s classic Bordeaux meritage-style profile, cellar-aged to perfection with our estate grown 57% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. These portions offer an utterly brilliant red wine crafted from 32-year old vines from our mountain vineyard Napa estate. Perfectly integrated and harmonious it unfurls gradually to divulge its secrets, boasting a silky smooth, flawlessly structured fine wine. Only available by calling or emailing winemaker, Igor Sill at 415 244 4646 or igor.sill@gmail.com