The property’s original vineyard was planted by Dr. R. Beverly Cole. In 1886, he purchased 89 acres in the Northern Napa Valley. He bought the land with part of his windfall from buying a stake in the Comstock Lode, a massive silver mine in Nevada.
Dr. Cole named his homestead “La Perlita del Monte.” In 1953, Richard Graeser’s father bought the property from one of Cole’s descendents. After his parents passed away, Graeser began planting a vineyard and building a winery. He made his first wine in the late 1980s.
Graeser Winery currently produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Semillon, and late harvest Semillon. Their Cabernet Sauvignon can be enjoyed soon after bottling but the best vintages will age for over a decade.
All of these wines are made with estate grown grapes. The vineyard is located in the northwestern hills of the Napa Valley. Because the vines face northeast, they are shaded in the afternoon and produce grapes with restrained flavors.
