Napa
Reynolds Family Winery
A boutique Bordeaux-style producer on the southern Silverado Trail, where a former chicken ranch became a welcoming Napa stop.
Overview
Reynolds Family sits on 14 acres just off the Silverado Trail, south of Stags Leap District and about ten minutes from downtown Napa. Cabernet Sauvignon is the focus here, with the estate vineyard planted entirely to three Cab clones. They also own the 20-acre Persistence Vineyard nearby, which grows additional Cabernet, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Production is around 7,000 cases, with selective sourcing from Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, Coombsville, Carneros, and Diamond Mountain rounding out the lineup. Steve Reynolds founded the winery, and his son Cameron has since stepped into the winemaking role.
History
Steve Reynolds was a dentist in Stockton when he and his wife Suzie started making regular trips to Napa through their friend Oscar Renteria, a well-known local vineyard manager. In 1995 they bought a run-down chicken ranch on the Silverado Trail with nine acres of Cab vines. Steve kept the dental practice going while studying winemaking at UC Davis. The first vintage came in 1999 with purchased Stags Leap District fruit, right around the time Steve’s father passed away. He eventually closed the practice and committed to wine full time. What started as a hobby grew into a 7,000-case operation. Cameron grew up around the cellar and the harvest crew, and he’s now the winemaker.
Sustainability
The estate and Persistence vineyards are managed by the family and a cellar team that’s been with them close to 20 years. Steve’s approach has always been about meticulous vineyard management and minimal intervention in the cellar. San Pablo Bay breezes cool the southern end of the trail and help the fruit hold natural acidity, which means less manipulation at crush. There’s no certification program here. It’s a small family taking care of the land they live on.
Atmosphere
No grand entrance. You drive past the family’s house, keep going to the back of the property, and find the winery beside a spring-fed pond with ducks, vineyard rows, and the Atlas Peak ridgeline behind it. The tasting room is small and warm, filled with antiques Suzie collected, a fireplace in the middle, and a handmade tasting bar. The garden patio overlooking the pond is where most people end up. It feels like visiting someone’s home, because it literally is.
Experience
Tastings are by appointment, about an hour, and cover wines from multiple Napa appellations. A charcuterie board comes with every tasting. The hosts are engaging and easy to talk to, and they’re equally comfortable going deep on winemaking or just letting you enjoy the view. There’s no script, no hard sell, no attitude. People visiting Napa for the first time consistently say this was the stop where they felt most at ease.
Unique Elements
- The Persistence Vineyard produces their flagship Bordeaux blend, named after Steve’s favorite quote about the difference between success and failure.
- Steve was an early adopter of ozone-based winemaking technology that reduces the need for sulfites during fermentation.
- The family also co-created Penta Tequila, making this one of the few Napa wineries with a spirits brand under the same roof.
