NAPA'S ULTIMATE THROWBACK

CHARDONNAY AND PINOT NOIR HOUSE EL MOLINO THRIVES IN NAPA CABERNET COUNTRY

- MARYANN WOROBIEC

''The fact that we make Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a vineyard in Rutherford is a bit of a tough story," admits El Molino owner Lily Berlin.

In the heart of Napa Valley, ground zero for $300 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, spa resorts, and world-class restaurants, lies El Molino's 68-acre vineyard. Nearby, a modest combination of the family home and winery sits a few miles north of St. Helena, just off Highway 29. It's the site of one of the first wineries in Napa, dating to 1871. It's a charming home, a multigenerational, family-owned winery-and it's also a bit of a time capsule. El Molino wines have been made the exact same way, with the same equipment, since its resurrection with the 1987 vintage. Even the label is the same as the 1871 version.

El Molino might be an anomaly in its neighborhood. “Napa is mostly planted to Cabernet. Well, why is that?” challenges Berlin. “You might tell me it’s because the terroir supports Cabernet. But is that true? Napa seems like a pretty great place to grow a lot of things, and if you look at the history of Napa, there were a lot of crops grown here.”

Beyond the curiosity of making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Napa, there’s a deeper story here. It’s about tradition, a family’s single-minded vision, a respect of the past, and, most importantly, outstanding Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

Berlin, 50, is the woman propelling the vision of El Molino today. She’s a determined and focused woman with bright aquamarine eyes and a steady gaze. She lives with her husband Jon, 49, and three children—Clementine, 17; Beatrice, 16; and Edward, 11—in the St. Helena home and winery where she grew up.