Chapter 1: Introducing Grape Culture

Grape Culture is a celebration of wine, the industry, its history, and all of the people who have and continue to play a role in shaping it. It is made possible by my family and the team that I get to spend most of my days with. People that I am forever grateful for.

The name is inspired by a work of literature written by Agoston Haraszthy, the founder of the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society and “The Godfather of California Wine”. The book is essentially a series of journal entries from his travels through Europe in 1858 where he tasked himself with bringing back knowledge of the growing process, grape varieties, and what conditions they thrive to California vintners just figuring out how to get started. The book outlines the potential for commercial success for California pioneers, but more importantly the quality of living when grape growing and winemaking is at the core of the community.

Our brand is focused on site-driven Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. My family and I have been making wine since 2009 and we are excited to launch this new project. Hararszthy’s story is quite colorful. The man thrived and failed at extreme levels. My mom used to tell me all the time, “one day you’re drinking the wine, the next day you’re picking the grapes.” Hararszthy personifies this sentiment.

This is the surface-level description of what Grape Culture is. But as the saying goes, the devil is in the details. How we got here is truly a story filled with many highs and lows, hard work, heartache, bounce backs, blowout fights, and sleepless nights. It’s been a wild ride but it has shaped who we are and what we want to be. In this “Stories” section we will share stories from our experiences in the industry as well as revisit some of Hararszthy’s. Here we will introduce all of the people and ideas that have shaped who we are and what you can expect when you open a bottle of one of our wines. 

Like any great story, perhaps it is best to go back to the beginning.