Napa Valley Matriarchs
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CALIFORNIA Napa Valley matriarchs Three women remain inspirational family figureheads at the Chappellet, Novak and Duckhorn wineries, which played central roles in the early development of the St Helena winelands. Linda Murphy tells their story WHen MOLLY and Donn Chappellet arrived 1882-founded Spottswoode vineyard and in Napa Valley in 1967, it was a sleepy farm farmhouse in 1972 and relocated their family community with only a handful of wineries, to St Helena from San Diego. ‘The wine craze very few art or music opportunities, and was just beginning,’ Mary recalls. ‘Robert Above from left: Margaret Duckhorn, Molly Chappellet and Mary Novak, photographed at the Spottswoode winery in St Helena nowhere exciting to eat – a far cry from their Mondavi had opened his winery and others former home in fashionable Rancho Santa Fe were following suit. We knew very little about in southern California. Yet like so many growing grapes or making fine wine, but we Duckhorn talk, as long-time friends do, about ‘The industry was so small that our transplants to Napa in the 1960s and 1970s, planned to study and learn by doing, and we anything and everything. Their kids join in, the Chappellets wanted to start over, to leave were eager to embrace an agricultural lifestyle adding detail and different interpretations of competitors became our friends and urban life behind and find a more authentic in a rural town.’ what happened in the 1970s and 1980s, when and down-to-earth home for themselves and Margaret and Dan Duckhorn followed, in the families landed in Napa and embarked on we shared ideas and equipment’ their children. 1976, seeking a similar escape from big-city wine-growing. The women laugh together and Margaret Duckhorn ‘Donn’s interest was waning in his Below: Molly and Donn pressures – in their case, the San Francisco finish each other’s sentences; if one’s memory business,’ Molly Chappellet recalls of his Chappellet in 1968, the Bay area. They brought a group of investors to has faded, another’s kicks in. company, Interstate United Corporation, a year after they moved their party. ‘The industry was so small then Jack Novak died suddenly in 1977, at age 44, companies, chairing auctions, hosting events distributor of vending machines. ‘I was to Napa Valley that our competitors became our friends and of a heart attack; Mary, after contemplating a and advising their adult children. working at the Los Angeles County Museum. we shared ideas and equipment just to return to southern California, decided to Their bond was cemented in the mid-1970s, I asked him, “Donn, do make it,’ says Margaret. ‘Dan went to soldier on with Spottswoode. The Duckhorns before the so-called Judgement of Paris and you really want to keep work in San Francisco at Heublein and divorced years after they founded Duckhorn the anointment by Robert Parker of Napa doing this for the rest of I focused on the permits that we Vineyards, yet remain business partners. Valley as a world-class wine producer. These your life? Why don’t you do needed to establish the winery. I was Donn Chappellet passed away in 2016, aged families didn’t come to Napa to produce first what you love?” a school nurse at the time. We hired 84, though Molly is as involved as ever in growth-quality wines; they relocated for a ‘He told me he wanted to Tom Rinaldi as winemaker. The next Chappellet Vineyards, her famous gardens simpler, more organic life, and to rear their move out of the city. He’d three years, we were involved at the there, and in upholding the Pritchard Hill families in a wholesome environment. worked summers on his winery on a day-to-day basis. Dan trademark Donn established long ago for the Growing grapes and making wine wasn’t the family ranch in California was involved helping to develop the viticultural area they founded in eastern Napa primary driver, though it was the obvious way and enjoyed it. He wrote his strategy and focus we wanted, Valley, and which is now inhabited by Colgin, to make a living. college thesis on cattle through his work at Heublein.’ Bryant Family Vineyards, Tim and Marcia Following their restless husbands to Napa, ranching. But his passion Mondavi’s Continuum and others. Chappellet, Novak and Duckhorn were not turned out to be wine: his Full commitment The three women remain fast friends and only wives and mothers, they were entrenched mother was French and his We’re chatting on the wrap-around active forces in Napa. Not only are they in the business. They pruned and picked, father had French roots. Most porch at Mary Novak’s St Helena credited with helping to form the backbone of sorted and stomped, as did their children, of the wines in our cellar were house, overlooking her lush what would go on to become one of the world’s learning as they went and getting advice – and from Bordeaux. Moving to garden, and later during lunch at most recognised wine regions, but they also equipment, when needed – from established Napa seemed natural.’ her Spottswoode winery just continue their involvement into their ripe old producers such as Beaulieu, Beringer, As it did for Mary and Jack down the road. Novak, Molly age. Now in their late 70s and early 80s, they Inglenook, Robert Mondavi and Schramsberg. Novak, who purchased the Chappellet and Margaret Images Adler/Getty Rob Photograph: remain focused, still overseeing their ‘After Jack died, I had to decide whether ➢ 76 | November 2016 • DECANTER DECANTER • November 2016 | 77 CALIFORNIA to move back south, or stay in St Helena and ‘Molly Chappellet’s recognition At a glance make a go of it,’ says Novak, whose vineyard was one of the first in Napa to be grown that Napa wine could be Chappellet Vineyards organically. She zips around the estate in an Founded 1967 by Molly and environmentally friendly electric Smart Car. paired with food, gardens Donn Chappellet ‘I was 45 years old with five young children Current owner and felt settled in the community, with good and art was an eye-opener’ Chappellet family friends. So I did what I had to do and Key varieties Chenin Blanc, continued the business.’ Chardonnay, Merlot, Waters and Charlie Trotter were instructors Cabernet Sauvignon Family influence during its 22-year stint; and with Jamie Davies Flagship wine Chappellet, When she moved to Pritchard Hill with Donn of Schramsberg, she was among the first to Pritchard Hil, Napa Valley and their five children – and one on the way connect the dots between wine and food, Cabernet Sauvignon – Molly Chappellet had a university degree in setting the course for a concept that’s now Current winemaker art and expertise in curation. She unleashed embraced throughout Napa. Phillip Corallo-Titus her talents at the Chappellet property, turning Chappellet alum Tony Soter was Past winemakers Philip it into an oasis of flowers, produce and Spottswoode’s first winemaker, followed by Togni, Joe Cafaro, Tony sculpture. Her recognition that Napa wine Pam Starr, Mia Klein, Rosemary Cakebread, Soter, Cathy Corison could be paired with food, gardens and art Jennifer Williams and now Aron Weinkauf. Affiliated label was an eye-opener – a notion now de rigueur. Mary Novak’s oldest daughter, Lindy Novak, is Sonoma-Loeb Following the advice of Beaulieu Vineyard’s the national marketing director; youngest André Tchelistcheff, the Chappellets settled daughter Beth Milliken is president and CEO of Duckhorn Vineyards on Pritchard Hill, becoming the first to plant Spottswoode, an ‘Energizer Bunny’ traveller to Above: Margaret Duckhorn during harvest at Duckhorn Vineyards in the 1970s Founded 1976 by Margaret grapevines on its rocky, high-elevation international markets. The middle daughter, Left: winemaking at Spottswoode in the 1970s, the Novak family all pitching in and Dan Duckhorn, plus hillsides. Their Cabernet Sauvignons, restaurateur/caterer Kelley Novak feeds those investors Chardonnays and Chenin Blancs have been attending the winery’s special events. New owner TSG Consumer made by an all-star cast of Philip Togni, Joe ‘Dad was looking for a Green Acres TV show ‘I couldn’t dinners at her Chutney Kitchen – it was the Partners (acquisition from Cafaro, Tony Soter, Cathy Corison and, since experience,’ Lindy says of her family’s relocation only place to go for good food. She later opened GI Partners announced 1989, Phillip Corallo-Titus. to Napa. ‘We weren’t happy about moving to imagine what The French Laundry with her husband, Don.’ 29 August 2016) ‘Donn told me when we started, “We don’t St Helena,’ Beth adds. ‘But we got over it.’ ‘The Triple S Ranch in Calistoga was also Key varieties Chardonnay, have enough kids to bring in the harvest”,’ a beautiful good for steaks,’ adds Novak, ‘but there wasn’t Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Molly recalls. ‘I replied, well, you’re going to Changing hands much else. We invited friends to our homes for Cabernet Sauvignon need another six wives. Our children worked Margaret Duckhorn’s children, Kellie and Duckhorn in 2015) south of Calistoga, proved future we dinner. That’s how we lived.’ Flagship wine Three Palms on the property, like most Napa Valley kids, David, worked at Duckhorn Vineyards before prescient. Even though California Merlot took ‘It was a big deal in Los Angeles to go out at Vineyard, Napa Valley Merlot and school didn’t start until after the harvest going off on their own. Now general manager a beating in the 2014 movie Sideways, the best were building night,’ Chappellet says. ‘But in Napa back then? Current winemaker was complete.’ Today, one son, Cyril, is of Baldacci Family Vineyards in Napa, Kellie producers, among them Duckhorn, have Nada.