Napa County Vineyards
in Land Trust



As of May 2001

Napa County Wineries Use Land Trust to Protect Land

Napa County wineries have been in the forefront of land conservation. One measure of this environmental concern has been the placing of property into land trust. Since 1987, wineries have protected over 5000 acres of winegrape related property.

Through conservation agreements between landowners and the Land Trust of Napa County, certain uses of the land are permanently preserved in order to protect its conservation or agricultural value.

For example, a landowner may give up the right to subdivide or build additional residences, while retaining the right to grow grapes. Future owners will be bound by the agreement's terms, and the Land Trust is responsible for making sure the terms are complied with in the future.

An agreement allows the landowner to continue to own and use his or her land, and to sell it or pass it on to heirs. It does not confer any right of public access. Specific conditions vary from property to property.

Benefits include:
  • Preserve open space and agricultural land.
  • Facilitate family ownership.
  • Provide charitable income tax deduction.
  • May lower estate taxes and property taxes.


Wineries and vineyards participating in Land Trust
  1. Green Valley Ranch (1987) -- Green Valley Ranch Partners/Richard Reisman et al -- 980 acres of open space, grazing lands, and vineyard east of Napa, including 24 acres of planted vineyard.
  2. Mead Ranch (1989) -- Giles Mead -- 1,318 acres off Atlas Peak Road
  3. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars - S.L.V. Vineyard (1990) -- Warren & Barbara Winiarski -- 44 acres (41 planted) of vineyards on Silverado Trail east of Yountville.
  4. F.S. and June Foote (1990) -- 114 acres on Silverado Trail east of Yountville; 22 acres vineyard, 92 acres undisturbed natural habitat.
  5. Kortum Canyon Vineyard (1991) -- John & Fran Pershing -- 187 acres of agricultural and open space land west of Calistoga, including 40 acres of planted vineyard.
  6. Eisele Family Estates (1991) -- Volker and Liesel Eisele -- 432 acres of agricultural, open space, watershed, in Chiles Valley, including 60 acres in planted vineyards.
  7. Green & Red Vineyard (1993) -- Jay and Pam Heminway -- 145 acres consisting of a vineyard, winery and wild open space in Chiles Valley
  8. di Rosa Art Preserve (1993) -- Rene di Rosa -- 52 acres of open space containing extensive modern art collection, lake and wildlife habitat in the Carneros region, southwest of Napa.
  9. Silverado Vineyards - Mt. George Vineyard (1993) -- Ron and Diane Miller -- 167-acre vineyard (112 acres planted) on the slopes of Mt. George east of Napa, contiguous with Napa County Land Trust's Mt. George Botanical Preserve.
  10. Silverado Vineyards - Disney Vineyard (1994) -- Ron and Diane Miller -- 214 acres east of Yountville; 103 acres planted or plantable, 111 acres open space bordering F.S. and June Foot easement.
  11. Di Rosa Milliken Peak (1997) -- 164 acres (includng 33 acres plantable) in the Carneros region southeast of Napa; includes all the lands of Milliken Peak (up to its summit) which face the City of Napa.
  12. Anonymous (1997) -- Between 250 and 300 acres (partially plantable) in midvalley.
  13. Long Meadow Ranch (1997) -- Ted and Ladislas Hall -- 88 acres open space, partially plantable, west of Rutherford.
  14. Girard Winery/Rudd Estates (1997) -- Leslie Rudd -- Winery and 54 acres, including 50 planted acres of the home vineyard of Girard Winery, near Oakville.
  15. Jack & Delores Cakebread (1998) -- Cakebread Cellars -- 10 planted vineyard acres in the western hills in midvalley.
  16. Joseph Phelps Vineyards - Stone Bridge Cellars/St. Helena Ranch (1998) -- Joseph and Lois Phelps -- 480 acres, including the Joseph Phelps winery, historic schoolhouse, and lake, including 130 acres planted vineyard.
  17. V. Sattui Winery - Carsi Vineyard (1999) -- Daryl Sattui -- 6.5 acres planted vineyard with highway frontage; potential winery site extinguished, south of Yountville.
  18. Long Meadow Ranch (1999) -- Ted and Ladislas Hall -- 158 acres, including 10 acres of planted vineyard and olive grove, west of Rutherford, contiguous to their earlier conservation easement (#13 above)
  19. Jason Pahlmeyer (2000) -- Pahlmeyer Winery -- 57 acres of forever-wild open space lands adjacent to Milliken Reservoir and vineyard lands; 20 plantable acres extinguished.
  20. Dale and Sue Missimer (2000) -- 45 acres along Napa River at Yountville Crossroad; 22 acres planted, 7 acres of planted riparian island will revert back to forever-wild at termination of current agricultural lease.
  21. V. Sattui Winery (Henry Ranch) (2000) -- Daryl Sattui -- 111 acres in the Carneros Region; 9 acres planted to vineyard, balance in riparian and watershed protection. Facade protection of century-old historic ranch buildings. wbm

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