MacDonald Vineyards is one of Napa Valley’s most sought-after small-production Cabernet Sauvignon producers, with a family history deeply rooted in the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Brothers Alex and Graeme MacDonald are fourth-generation Napa Valley grape growers, farming approximately 15 acres at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains on one of the rockiest sections of this legendary vineyard. Their MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon offers a rare expression of old-vine Oakville Cabernet from a site their family has farmed for generations.
To Kalon Vineyard
The MacDonald family’s history in To Kalon Vineyard dates to 1954, when their great-grandparents planted the property’s first vines since Prohibition. For the next 60 years, the family sold its Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively to Robert Mondavi through a handshake agreement. According to MacDonald Vineyards, this fruit became a core component of Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and early Opus One bottlings, establishing the vineyard’s quality decades before MacDonald wine was released under its own label.
The family’s parcel sits on the gravelly Oakville bench at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains. Deep, well-drained alluvial gravels help define this part of To Kalon Vineyard, while some of the family’s Cabernet Sauvignon vines are now approximately 70 years old.
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Today, the MacDonald family continues to farm the vineyard themselves using organic methods and a philosophy centered on preserving the character and longevity of the site. Native yeasts and traditional cellar techniques are used to produce an Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasizes the purity, structure, and energy of its historic vineyard source.
The old vines and exceptionally gravelly soils contribute to the distinctive personality of MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, with the wines commonly showing concentrated dark fruit, graphite, mineral character, freshness, and substantial aging potential. Rather than creating an extensive portfolio, MacDonald remains focused on Cabernet Sauvignon from its family property in Oakville.
MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon
Alex and Graeme MacDonald began producing tiny quantities of wine from the family vineyard before releasing the first commercial MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon with the 2010 vintage. Just 92 cases were produced that year, and production has remained extremely limited as the brothers continue to prioritize hands-on farming and winemaking.
The result is one of the more distinctive expressions of To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon: a wine produced not from purchased fruit, but by a fourth-generation farming family from its own historic parcel. MacDonald’s combination of old vines, small production, and deep ties to To Kalon has made the wines highly sought after among collectors of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Add MacDonald Wine to Your Cellar
With its historic roots in To Kalon Vineyard, decades-long relationship with Robert Mondavi, old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, and extremely limited production, MacDonald wine represents a unique piece of Napa Valley history. Browse our collection of MacDonald Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and discover multiple vintages from one of Oakville’s most historic Cabernet sites.
