Pellet
Pellet Estate is a rare, authentically grown, and classically made wine. The Estate is a spectacular vineyard site in the small town of St. Helena, with a rich history dating back to 1859. Henry Pellet, one of the founding pioneers of Napa Valley winemaking, first planted this site with a vision of producing wines that would be among the best in the world. In 2005, owner Greg Krill and his wife Robin purchased 5 acres of this original historic property to found Pellet Estate . His first order of business was to pull out the existing vineyard and replant according modern practices of trellising, row orientation and vineyard management techniques. They then assembled a dream team to perfect every aspect including winemaker Tom Rinaldi, an icon in Napa Valley who was the founding winemaker for Duckhorn, Provenance & Hewitt to name a few.
The flagship wine for Pellet Estate is the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Pellet Vineyard®, a blend of about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance being Merlot and Petit Verdot. Our Chardonnay from the Sunchase Vineyard® in the Petaluma Gap is crafted in two styles – an Un-Oaked Chardonnay and a traditional Burgundian barrel fermented Chardonnay.
Henry Pellet was one of the original pioneers of the Napa Valley in 1859. He was part of the an exciting time in Napa Valley's history along with contemporaries Charles Krug, John Patchett, HW Crabb (To Kalon), and Dr. G.B.Crane. He purchased land and planted vineyards in St. Helena next to his neighbor, Dr. Crane and made wine that was highly acclaimed for himself and his neighbors, beginning with the initial vintages for Dr. Crane. He eventually established one of the first commercial wineries, Pellet & Carver and was elected the first Secretary of the St. Helena Viticulture Society. Henry Pellet's vision of bringing back over 60 different varietals and rootstocks from Europe, ascertaining the best cultivars for Napa Valley, helped establish commercial wine production in the valley. His drive and tenacity for quality drives the current vineyard owners to continue his legacy on this historic Estate vineyard.
The allegorical image on their label symbolizes the achievements and contributions of Henry Pellet's rich pioneering history in viticulture experimentation and education, and his highly acclaimed winemaking acumen in the fledgling days of our industry. Pellet basically presented Napa Valley wine to the world, in the best light possible. Artist Walter Shirlaw, from the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, created an original work titled "Electricity Presenting Light To The World" or "Electricity as the Dominant Force in the World," which was used as the central image on the 1896 Educational Series $5.00 Silver Certificate. Hailed at the time as a remarkable blend of legend, patriotism and beauty, this note is still widely regarded to be the most beautiful currency in U.S. history.
