Hestan Vineyards, Biography

Hestan Vineyards is a picturesque, 127-acre ranch located on Napa Valley’s eastern slopes at the base of Okell Hill. The vineyard is named for owners Stanley and Helen Cheng, whose passion for fine wines and love for Napa Valley's beauty and charm led them to purchase the property in 1996. They began planting grapes in 1997, adding blocks over the years to take advantage of the site’s myriad of exposures and well-drained soils. Today, 52 acres of blocks planted to all five of Bordeaux’s principle red varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec – blanket the rolling hills that overlook the property’s 11-acre pond.

In 2005, after years spent building the vineyard’s reputation by selling grapes to top tier Napa Valley wineries, Stanley and Helen released their first wines from the property made by consulting winemaker Mark Herold 2002 Hestan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon was a critical success.

In 2009, winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown—best known for his 100-point Schrader Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon—joined the Hestan Vineyards team to take over production of the Hestan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.