- Founded
- 1990
- Owner
- Managing Partner Elton Slone
- Winemaker
- Jason Price
- Size
- 120 acres, 38 planted
- Climate
- Mediterranean at Elevation
- Key Varietals
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Zinfandel
USA, Napa Valley, California
Wines
Gap's Crown Vineyard Chardonnay
Howell Mountain Cuvée
Affinity Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
The Stick Red Blend
Howell Mountain Merlot
Howell Mountain Zinfandel
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact us at marketing@obcwines.com
About
With a passion for Napa Valley Mountain Cabernet, Bob Craig founded his eponymous winery on Howell Mountain in 1990. Known for producing small-lot, site-expressive wines from high elevation vineyards, Robert Craig Winery consistently garners high scores and positive accolades from the wine press. Since 2013, the winery has expanded its vineyard holdings beyond their physical and spiritual home on Howell Mountain to be 85% estate-grown, with significant acquisitions not only on Howell Mountain but in Mount Veeder and Coombsville AVAs as well. Owning these coveted vineyard sources allows them to maintain exceptional quality while remaining competitively priced in Napa Valley.
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Viticulture and Winemaking
Robert Craig Winery is known for crafting small-lot, site-expressive wines from high elevation vineyards. Their estate vineyard holdings, which have grown from eight acres in 1993 to 120 acres today (38 planted), enable Robert Craig to deliver a collection of wines that offers a pure expression of terroir from each site. Each vineyard delivers 3 tons per acre or less, resulting in small berries packed with intense flavor. They are hand-harvested at lower brix levels resulting in wines with low PH, high acid and high tannin expression. Gentle handling contributes to the wine’s finesse; in the winery, there is no fining, filtration or oxidation. This non-interventionist approach has paid dividends and the wines are balanced and very enjoyable while young, yet are much more age-worthy than the earliest Robert Craig vintages.
In terms of land stewardship and their commitment to preserve their Napa Valley vineyards for generations to come, the Robert Craig Winery is certified Napa Green. The Howell Mountain estate vineyards are Fish Friendly Farming certified, a program that benefits not only the local waterways, it delivers strategies for land and shore preservation. In terms of delivering the purest fruit possible, in 2023, the Mt Veeder vineyard will be certified organic, and both Howell Mountain vineyards are in the process of organic certification, to be completed in 2024.
