Napa Valley winery whose story begins in 1892 looks to the future with a design refresh and a new winemaking crew.
In June 2025, I experienced the first official tasting at Pestoni Family Estate Winery‘s remodeled hospitality space—so new that the Erin Martin Design team breezed in mid-session for a few last-minute tweaks before declaring the transformation complete. The makeover coincided with the arrival of wines over which a new winemaking crew had played a role.
Photos and Artifacts
The comfortably upscale salon’s photos and artifacts depict key moments in the Pestoni saga and Napa Valley history. Pointing to various images, the fourth generation’s Greg Pestoni, the winery’s general manager, described how his Swiss-Italian ancestor Albino Pestoni planted a vineyard in 1892, a decade after arriving in California. Of the later parcels acquired, one on Howell Mountain, three in Rutherford, and another in Lake County remain.
New Winemaking Team
Hosting the tasting were Greg’s wife, Aimee Pestoni, and winemaker Jeremiah Moore. Along with the sought-after winemaking consultant Aaron Pott, Moore joined the team in Spring 2024. I’d chatted briefly with Pott two months later, shortly after he and Moore had tweaked the blends for the 2022 vintage. “I think we were able to have an impact,” he said at the time, adding that he expected changes in the farming initiated by him, Moore, and the vineyard management team to enhance quality further.
2022 Bordeaux Reds
Based on our tasting of 2022 Bordeaux-style wines, Pott and Moore’s influence is already being felt. The tasting began with a Merlot from Three Tears Vineyard (Howell Mountain AVA), followed by a Lone Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford AVA) and two more Three Tears Cabs. Each wine stood out for its smoothness, intense but subtle flavors, elegant mouthfeel, and noticeably long finish.
Future Control
The 2022 vintage bodes well for future ones, over which Moore and Pott will exert more control. Moore poured a barrel sample of the 2024 Lone Acre Cabernet, detailing the steps he and Pott took during fermentation to extract flavor and polish tannins. It’s a potential gem, as was the 2024 B2 Block Three Tears Cab. To accentuate the fruit, less new oak was used than in years past.
More than Bordeaux
Our session focused on the Bordeaux reds, but the Pestonis also produce Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé of Sangiovese, and Sangiovese from two of the three Rutherford properties. The Sangiovese grows steps from the tasting room, along the driveway off St. Helena Highway. Pott and Moore crafted an “intentional rosé,” which is to say they picked the grapes for it earlier than for the label’s Sangiovese, instead of harvesting all the grapes later and “bleeding off” juice for the “pink” wine early in the process of making the red. The result is a subtler wine that Greg Pestoni says has found its way onto a few restaurant wine lists this summer.
Covered Pavilion, Grassy Lawn
In addition to the salon, the Pestonis host tastings outside, at a covered pavilion and on the adjacent grassy lawn. You can bring your own food (none is sold on-site) for a self-paced Picnic Tasting at the latter’s wooden tables. For the handsome pavilion, which has tables and chairs, you can book a Heritage Tasting (also available indoors).
Why go: family-owned winery; Swiss-Italian roots; formal and informal tasting spaces; picnic possibilities; Howell Mountain Merlot and Cabernet.
Info
1673 St. Helena Hwy., St. Helena 94574
More St. Helena Wineries
Corison Winery
Charles Krug Winery
Louis M. Martini Winery
The Pavilion by Ink Grade
Tres Sabores Winery
VGS Chateau Potelle
Where to Stay
St. Helena Lodgings Cheat Sheet
Pingback: STORY INDEX BY REGION – Daniel Mangin