Lail Vineyards

"This winery [Lail Vineyards], with winemaking consultant Philippe Melka, continues to have the Midas touch." — Robert Parker

Throughout the past 30 years, Lail Vineyards has cemented itself as a Napa Valley icon, continuing one of the region's most celebrated family winemaking legacies. Legendary winemaker, Philippe Melka, has been at the helm since the estate's inception, crafting bold cabernet sauvignon from top vineyards and producing a sauvignon blanc gem, often referred as one of California's greatest white wines. 

The Lail Vineyards Legacy

The Lail family's connection to winemaking began in 1879 when Captain Gustav Niebaum established Inglenook Winery. His grandnephew, John Daniel Jr., continued the family legacy, inheriting and elevating the status of Inglenook. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, John Daniel reopened operations and later acquired Napanook Vineyard, merging the iconic site into Inglenook. However, in 1964, he sold the winery to Allied Grape Grower, though his daughters Robin and Marcia maintained ownership of the vineyard.

Robin, in particular, took an interest into winemaking. After graduating from Stanford University, she became Robert Monadvi's personal assistant and helped to organize the first-ever Auction Napa Valley. Robin reflects fondly on her time with the famed winemaker, stating, "Mondavi would lecture me about my legacy, my father, and the importance of carrying on his work." She became so inspired by Mondavi that she and her sister helped Christian Moueix to open Dominus Estate in 1982, and a year later, Robin opened Merryvale Vineyards with Bill Harlan. 

Her journey took a turn in 1995 when she was bought out of her ownership with Dominus and sold her share of Merryvale. That same year, Robin opened Lail Vineyards with the help of her husband, Jon, and daughters, Erin and Shannon. Jon Lail brough expertise from his distinguished architectural firm, Lail Design Group, which has built more than 50 wineries and over 100 wine cellars in Napa Valley. Together, the family crafted one of Napa Valley's most charming and endearing wines, becoming a staple in the region's Yountville and Howell Mountain AVAs.

Robin Lail Partners with Philippe Melka

A critical chapter in Lail's success story is the partnership with the highly regarded winemaker, Philippe Melka. The now-legendary winemaker was brought on to lead the team since the winery's inception. While he was only an assistant winemaker at Dominus prior to his start at Lail Vineyards, Robin Lail had full belief in Melka and offered him a position as head winemaker.

His background in geology, enology, and agronomy gave Philippe a deep understanding of Napa's terroir, which is evident in every bottle of Lail wine. Furthermore, his prior experience at Petrus and Chateau Haut Brion gave Melka the ability to walk the fine line between immediate enjoyment and age-worthy structure on one of Napa's finest sites.

Lail Vineyards Napa Valley Terroir

Lail Vineyards owns and nurtures fruit from two distinctive estate vineyards: The Totem Vineyard, a 2.5-acre gem in Yountville, and the Mole Hill Vineyard, a 3-acre cabernet sauvignon vineyard in Howell Mountain. The former is a part of the original Inglenook estate and is named after a totem pole gifted by Gustav Niebaum, while the latter's whimsical name originates from John Daniels' playful label, which featured a mole.

Mole Hill Vineyard sits 1700 feet above sea level on volcanic loam soil that is approximately two feet deep. The site's western exposure creates a unique microclimate, mixing with the soil to create the perfect environment for the cabernet vines to extract the maximum concentration of flavors possible. Fruit from this vineyard is blended into the J. Daniel Cuvee, giving each bottle a lingering finish and extravagant textures.

In Yountville, the Totem vineyard originally served as the source of merlot for the flagship J. Daniel Cuvee but has since undergone a transformation. In 2006, the site was exclusively replanted with sauvignon blanc as Robin Lail and Philippe Melka were keen on creating a unique Napa Valley white wine. Its location on the north end of Yountville ensures the fruit is juicy and luscious, helping to make Georgia Sauvignon Blanc a top white wine in the region.

Sustainability and Winemaking Behind Lail Wine

Lail Vineyards is committed to producing wines that reflect the distinct characteristics of the Napa Valley terroir while protecting the region's environment. Their winemaking philosophy revolves around minimal intervention, allowing the grapes to express the unique nuances of the vineyards. And the team is committed to sustainable practices, aiming to reduce the amount of pesticides used on the land and increase diversity and organic matter. By collaborating with Napa County Resource Conservation District, Lail Vineyards use carbon farming on the land, helping to improve soil health and increase water retention and biodiversity. 

Lail Blueprint and J. Daniel Cuvee: Entry-Level & Flagship Wines

Lail Vineyards is renowned for its small-lot, handcrafted wines, each telling a story of the vineyard and the vintage. The most notable offering is the J. Daniel Cuvée, which was named after Robin's father. This flagship wine is made of 100% cabernet sauvignon and is a Bordeaux-style wine that captures the essence of the estate's Howell Mountain, Calistoga, and Oakville fruit. Each bottle is powerful, full-bodied, and textured, displaying sweet earth aromas and notes of exotic spices on the palate.

The Lail Blueprint offerings provide drinkers with an entry-level experience into the estate, as bottles are affordably priced for inquiring customers and designed for everyday drinking. The Blueprint wines are made in both cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc, with recent vintages released in 2022 and 2024, respectively.

Lail Vineyards Georgia Sauvignon Blanc: Acclaimed White Wine

While many small producers focus on a single white wine varietal, Lail Vineyards breaks convention with Georgia Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was named after Robin's oldest granddaughter, representing the family's sixth generation. Robert Parker has praised the wine as "one of a handful of profound Sauvignon Blancs made in California," comparing the bottle to a white wine Graves. When first crafting the bottle, Melka and Lail were fully committed to creating an impressive elixir, contrasting to Napa's broad philosophy of disregarding white varietals.