Ehlers Estate

Ehlers Estate is the only winery in Napa Valley that is entirely owned by a charitable foundation, meaning that every bottle sold directly supports cardiovascular research and education through the Leducq Foundation. Founded as a winery in 1886, the stone building on Highway 29 in St. Helena is one of the oldest surviving winery structures in the valley. Jean Leducq, a French-born American philanthropist, purchased the estate in 2001 and donated it to his foundation, creating a model where wine production funds medical research in perpetuity.

The estate covers 42 acres of certified organic vineyard on the St. Helena benchland, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc. The organic certification, achieved in 2008, reflects the foundation's commitment to environmental stewardship alongside its medical mission. The vineyard's position on the warm St. Helena benchland produces Cabernet of classic structure and depth, with the organic farming enriching the soil biology and, many believe, the complexity of the wines.

Winemaker Laura Diaz Munoz, a native of Mexico, crafts a portfolio that emphasizes Bordeaux-style blends from the estate's diverse plantings. The flagship 1886 Cabernet Sauvignon, named for the winery's founding year, is a powerful wine that honors the estate's heritage. The Cabernet Franc, unusual as a standalone bottling in Napa, is one of the finest in the valley, showing the aromatic complexity and savory character that the variety achieves in the warm St. Helena climate. The Sauvignon Blanc, from the estate's cooler blocks, is crisp and refreshing.

The tasting room in the restored 1886 stone building on Highway 29 is warm and inviting, with the charitable mission adding a feel-good dimension to the experience. Tastings include current releases and reserve wines, and the staff explain the connection between the wines and the foundation's medical research funding. The estate's location on Highway 29 makes it easily accessible, and the modest $55 tasting fee is made even more palatable by the knowledge that proceeds support a worthy cause.

Ehlers Estate demonstrates that a winery can serve a purpose beyond profit. The Leducq Foundation's model ensures that the estate's vineyards and winemaking will continue in perpetuity, free from the pressures of quarterly earnings or family succession that challenge many Napa wineries. Buying a bottle of Ehlers is buying a bottle of genuinely good wine that also funds cardiovascular research, a proposition that is almost impossible to argue against.