Description

Long-time friends and colleagues, Michael Stone and Peter Newton, had a lot of passions in common. At the top of their list were: wine, business, vacationing in the Greek Islands, and Northern California. Natives of Britain, they loved the warm sun, natural beauty, and relaxed, welcoming vibe of Greece and Northern California, so much so that they decided to open their own winery. The place they had in mind would offer high-quality yet affordable wines and a friendly space, with a neighborhood feeling, where they could hang out with their local friends and welcome new ones from around the globe. In 1964, Sterling Vineyards was born. As one of only 27 bonded wineries in Napa Valley at the time, Sterling Vineyards’ Bordeaux-inspired wines helped transform the region into the premier winemaking appellation it is today. In 1969, the winery bottled the first vintage-dated Napa Valley Merlot and made its first vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery itself, modeled after Mykonos’s famous white stucco houses, was the first in Napa to put the guest experience at the core of its architectural plan. And their aerial gondola turned every arrival into an awe-inspiring event. It’s still the only winery gondola in the world.