One of Napa's quirkiest and most beloved small producers. Gene Kirkham grows rare varieties like Chenin Blanc and crafts an eclectic portfolio that gleefully ignores trends.
Casa Nuestra Winery is one of Napa Valley's most delightfully eccentric small producers, a 5-acre estate in St. Helena growing varieties that most visitors have never heard of, including Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and a red field blend called Tinto that changes composition with every vintage. Founded in 1980 by Gene Kirkham, a former college professor who left academia for agriculture, the winery has spent over four decades championing the underdog varieties that the Cabernet-obsessed valley has largely abandoned.
The 5-acre vineyard is planted to Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and a mix of red varieties that contribute to the Tinto field blend. The Chenin Blanc, once widely planted in Napa but now nearly extinct in the valley, produces a wine of waxy texture and floral aromatics that demonstrates why the variety was valued before Chardonnay displaced it. The Cabernet Franc, as a standalone bottling, shows the variety's aromatic complexity and savory character. The Tinto, whose composition varies with what the vineyard offers each year, is a wine of genuine surprise.
Gene Kirkham makes the wines with a hands-off philosophy that allows the unusual varieties to express their natural character. The Chenin Blanc is fermented with minimal intervention, the Cabernet Franc is aged gently in oak, and the Tinto is blended based on instinct rather than formula. The result is a portfolio that feels handmade and personal, with each wine reflecting the winemaker's curiosity rather than the market's demands. Prices are remarkably modest, with most bottles under $30.
The tasting room is tiny and charmingly ramshackle, with chickens wandering the property and cats sunning themselves on the porch. Gene or his staff pour with warmth and humor, sharing stories about the forgotten varieties and the philosophy behind growing them. The $30 fee includes one of the most unusual and memorable portfolios in the valley.
Casa Nuestra matters because it preserves the varietal diversity that Napa Valley has been steadily losing to the Cabernet monoculture. The Chenin Blanc vines, the Cabernet Franc, and the Tinto field blend are living reminders that the valley once grew many things, and that the best things are sometimes the ones nobody else is growing.
Contact the winery for full details about this experience, including availability and any special requirements.
