The Chappellet Story
For more than 50 years, the Chappellet family has been crafting globally renowned wines made from fruit
cultivated on the steep, rocky slopes of Napa Valley’s renowned Pritchard Hill. As one of the first wineries to
pioneer high-elevation hillside planting, and one of the few remaining great family-owned Napa Valley wineries,
Chappellet has influenced generations of vintners. Throughout its history, Chappellet has also established an
enduring legacy as one of world’s most acclaimed producers of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Chappellets’ romance with Pritchard Hill began when Donn and Molly Chappellet first glimpsed the mountain’s
spectacular vistas in the late 1960s. Inspired by the notion that “Bacchus loves the hills,” Donn and Molly followed
the advice of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff and settled on the rocky eastern slopes of the Napa
Valley. There, on the mountain’s serene and picturesque hillsides, the Chappellets established their home and
winery, raising their children and cultivating the vineyard.
Since being founded by Donn and Molly in 1967, Chappellet has earned acclaim for championing the robust
power and complexity of wines crafted from mountain grapes. At the same time, Chappellet helped to establish
Pritchard Hill as perhaps California’s most revered winegrowing site. To honor the mountain’s rich, expressive
character, the winemaking team focuses on creating extraordinary, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons that embody
the intensity and finesse of the fruit from Pritchard Hill.
Today, the second generation of the Chappellet family has embraced their parents’ love of the mountain’s inviting
spirit and exceptional vineyards. Led by Cyril, Carissa and Dominic Chappellet, who oversee the day-to-day
operations of the winery, this new generation also includes Lygia and Alexa Chappellet, who are active board
members dedicated to building upon Chappellet’s reputation for excellence. Equally important, this second
generation is passionate about preserving the land by continuing Donn and Molly’s intimate approach to
winegrowing. In order to ensure the health and well-being of Pritchard Hill for generations to come, the Chappellet
family meticulously cultivates their estate vineyard using hands-on organic farming techniques, with a constant eye
towards quality.
In addition to the dedicated second generation of the family, which has joined Molly in contributing to the ongoing
success of Chappellet, the winery benefits from an acclaimed team, which includes gifted Winemaker Phillip
Corallo-Titus and Vineyard Manager Dave Pirio—each of whom possesses decades of experience at Chappellet.
Applying their wealth of knowledge, and their comprehensive understanding of the estate’s 48 distinctive vineyard
blocks, the team handcrafts extraordinary wines that showcase the authentic charm and personality of Pritchard
Hill.
Though best known for its revered Cabernets, the Chappellet portfolio also includes exceptional Chenin Blanc,
Cabernet Franc and Merlot. In 2019, the Chappellet family unveiled their new Grower Collection, which focuses on
cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the finest Sonoma County vineyards.