Old Kraft

AVA

St. Helena

Decade

1890s

County

Napa

Current Owner

Bill and Margie Hart

Planted by

Franz Kraft

Location Notes

Site of Spottswoode Winery

Historical Producers

Biale

Description

Franz “Frank” Kraft was an early winemaking pioneer who established his vineyard and winery just north of the town of St. Helena in the 1860s. When we first saw these ancient vines and their proximity to the old Kraft winery site (today’s iconic Spottswoode) we knew they must have been once connected. Sure enough, Bill and Margie Hart – who are the proprietors of this small historic vineyard – researched it and found the original vineyard was replanted in the 1880s.

With the aid of Bill Pease of Madrigal Vineyard Management and Bob Biale, a historic vineyard preservation project rarely seen in Napa Valley (or anywhere) was set into motion. Laying drainage, irrigation, tilling, pruning, fertilizing, and interplanting have brought the old site back to productive life. Now interplanted with young vines yet retaining its original makeup the vineyard is producing small quantities of beautiful grapes as of 2006. Part of the vineyard is rare old Petite Sirah.

Certified