I had taken some wine-making classes and bought the equipment...I must have done something right...my second vintage was an award winner.

The Graeser Winery, on Petrified Forest Road high above Calistoga and the valley floor, is nothing less than a hidden treasure. Named "La Perlita del Monte" in 1886 by its founder and original owner, Dr Richard Beverly Cole, the winery truly is a little pearl of the mountain and certainly well worth the extra effort required to get there. While winding up the wooded driveway off Petrified Forest Road, visitors to Graeser Winery might feel as if they are moving 130 years back through time. The house, the barns, and other outbuildings were built in 1888, and in an atmosphere so evocative of the past, visitors must remind themselves that Graeser Winery is very much a part of the 21st century. The vines that look native to the surrounding hillsides are producing superior fruit, and the elevation and locale give the Graeser ranch its own microclimate. And with no other wineries nearby, it can truly be called unique.

Richard Graeser has planted much of his acres to Cabernet Sauvignon, with many other acres yielding Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes. The vines yield a classic, Bordeaux-style wine, which is becoming increasingly popular with California vintners and consumers. Richard, who is not only the owner but also the winemaker, gladly shares his experience, historical knowledge, and of course, a generous sampling of his superior wines.