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Nestled in a quiet corner of the famed Rutherford Bench is a vineyard with a legacy for producing some of Napa Valley’s earliest and most noteworthy single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. Quietly, over the last decade, visionary proprietor and steward Suzanne Deal Booth has breathed new life into the storied Bella Oaks property alongside a formidable team. Together with vineyard manager David Abreu, winemaker Nigel Kinsman, and master blender Michel Rolland, Suzanne Deal Booth’s intention to preserve and elevate this historic site sees Bella Oaks poised to inscribe its name once more in the history of the Napa Valley.

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The
Labyrinth

The Labyrinth

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“In life we all seek moments of clarity and connection.”

Suzanne Deal Booth

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Emblem & Allegory

The labyrinth that graces our label can be found on the estate, nestled beneath a ring of old olive trees. Crafted with stones sourced from the streets of Dublin, Boston, and the mountains of Montana, the design references the medieval labyrinth in the French cathedral city of Chartres.

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labyrinth through trees
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Introspection and intention are required of everyone who walks a labyrinth. The building of anticipation while practicing patience in the observance of each step offers a vivid allegory for our work here in this historic place.

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The
Vision

The Vision

Preservation is not passive.

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To honor a place is to manifest its full purpose anew - to inhabit, to discover, and to allow an understanding to develop over time and in the company of a committed team. Only then, with a decade of discovery informing our understanding do we earn the privilege to craft the very first estate wine from Bella Oaks.

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Trees and chairs

The legacy of Bella Oaks is multi-layered and rich. While soil and vine are the framework of every estate, it is the home and its inhabitants that give it flesh and meaning. Bella Oaks founders Barney and Belle Rhodes helped birth the enduring legacy of hospitality and culinary culture that defines the Napa Valley today. So our charge is not only to make great wine, but through community, art, and culture, write a new chapter at Bella Oaks that will ring out for generations to come and offer a path to those that follow.

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Suzanne Deal Booth has led a life dedicated to the stewardship and preservation of art and culture. Her keen understanding of cultural heritage imbues her title as vintner with the dual roles guardian and visionary. Her singular dedication to realizing the highest potential for Bella Oaks guides her and the Bella Oaks team.

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The
Vineyard

The Vineyard

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“There is little question that the soils here are special.”

Frank J. Prial
New York Times 1991

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Vineyard
Vineyard

Between the vast expanse of the valley floor and the imposing heights of the Mayacamas Mountains sits a gentle, providential slope called the Rutherford Bench. This quiet corner birthed the valley’s first distinct terroir. With a wine-growing legacy dating back to the mid-19th century, Bella Oaks was at the forefront of Napa Valley’s earliest and most legendary single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons.

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The vineyard’s future is plotted by one of the valley’s most attentive and renowned grape growers. David Abreu’s careful revitalization of Bella Oaks began in 2010 and continues alongside a conversion to organic and biodynamic farming with an emphasis on biodiversity.

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The
Wines

The Wines

“It shows just how refined Napa Valley can be. In a word: unforgettable.”

Antonio Galloni

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Bella Oaks Proprietary Red Wine represents for the very first time the distinction of this historic site matched with the exacting standards of estate winemaking. Building upon a rich history 50 years in the making, this singular wine is the culmination of our decade of stewardship, revitalization, and discovery in this storied place.

The 2021 vintage witnessed the birth of a new wine at Bella Oaks. Le Génie is a cabernet sauvignon brimming with the energy of youthful vines. The fruit of a fastidious replanting of the estate, Le Génie offers an accessible and enjoyable wine that foreshadows the promising future chapters of Bella Oaks.

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A site of such distinction requires an able winemaker, finely attuned to the true character of Bella Oaks. Nigel Kinsman’s winemaking track record is surpassed only by his commitment to craft wines of character and place. His intimacy with Bella Oaks forms the palette from which master blender Michel Rolland elevates the vintage to its final incarnation.

We warmly invite you to join our mailing list so that we may continue to share the journey of Bella Oaks with you. Thank you for visiting our virtual home and pausing for a moment to discover the past, present, and future of our beloved Bella Oaks.