Stories and Substance: Frank Family Vineyards

Share

Frank Family Vineyards provides some of wine country’s most favoured tasting experiences. It's situated in the north end of the valley off of Larkmead Lane in Calistoga, the varied tasting rooms located within the winery’s picturesque 1930’s pale yellow Craftsman home, and its surrounding sun porches and gardens are the stuff of wine tasting dreams. Genteel, uncrushed, and convivial – these are the hallmark characteristicsof a Frank Family Vineyards visit. It’s not uncommon to find proprietors Rich and Leslie Frank strolling the property, chatting amiably with guests, and making it abundantly clear that this dynamic duo puts their hearts and souls into their product and their brand. 

That heart and soul has never been more evident than in the winery’s newest ‘The Wines of Winston Hill’ tasting experience at which is revealed the backstory of the Frank Family vineyards (each is named for a Rich Frank grandchild), the thought process and production techniques utilised by star winemaker Todd Graff, and best of all, a bit of Frank Family lore. 

Liam Gearity says “The Wines of Winston Hill Tasting was conceived with the Napa Cabernet lover and collector in mind.”

“It is our most story-centric experience, showcasing the incredibly varied and exquisite wines of our prized vineyard site with average vine-age of 30 years.” 

Winston Hill is located on Rich and Leslie’s 107-acre estate, on the east side of the Napa Valley along the Vaca Mountain range in the heart of the Rutherford appellation. It is home to approximately 35 acres of planted vines with Cabernet Sauvignon being its primary variety, along with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese. Due to its southwest exposure, Winston Hill receives some of the longest hours of sunshine in the valley. Typical warm summer days give way to cool nights with soft mountain breezes. Extensive hand labor balances the vine canopy and maintains yields to produce rich and concentrated wines.

Share

This wine’s story is made even more captivating when enjoyed within the winery’s new Patriarch tasting room, furnished with items honouring Hy Frank, such as a life-sized portrait of the young soldier holding baby Rich, and a wall lined with autographed Brooklyn Dodger baseball bats. As president of Disney Studios throughout the 1980’s, Rich never ‘imagineered’ a career in the wine industry. His transition to vintner could be described as a happy accident. When seeking a relaxing retreat from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, he found peace within Napa and in the classic Tudor home that would become his permanent residence. Completely unaware of the riches upon which the home stood, he was surprised when his phone began to ring incessantly with purchase offers for the grapes surrounding his Winston Hill property. It was then that he realised a vocational change might be in order.

Share

Rich ultimately bought the old Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars winery, and in 1992 founded Frank Family Vineyards. Today, Rich and Leslie own 380 acres of some of the finest vineyard land in Napa, and produce nearly 75,000 cases annually. Rich actively runs all aspects of the winery, from vineyard purchases, to sales and marketing, to hosting wine tasting groups, while Leslie oversees marketing and branding and coordinates Frank Family’s charitable giving initiatives.