WineInk: Davis Estates — a Napa experience

The Napa Valley is home to hundreds of wineries. And, while I try, it is hard to keep track of all the various entities that produce wine in the region. So, it is always a joy to be introduced to a  winery with exceptional wines and a story to tell.

Such was the case last month when a box of samples arrived at the office from Davis Estates. I had heard of the winery but had not tasted their wines, nor did I know anything about them. But when I opened the box to find bottles of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc with a rendering of a sleek windmill embossed on their labels and a beautiful bottle of rosé christened “Lily Fleur” featuring exquisite lilies on its label, I recognized that this was something of substance. Tasting the wines confirmed my suspicion.

Davis Estates is a 155-acre, family-owned winery located just off the Silverado Trail in Calistoga. It was founded in 2011, and over the last decade and a half, through dedication, hard work and careful planning, the family has checked all the boxes in their pursuit of not just the production of exceptional wines, but also the creation of a complete and unique Napa guest experience.

The wines are sourced from four estate-owned vineyards located in Calistoga, Carneros, Rutherford and Howell Mountain and are made by a young winemaker who grew up in the Napa Valley named Walter Leiva, who works closely with a consulting winemaker, the legendary Philippe Melka. And the hospitality experience is centered around a lovingly restored barn and a signature touring and tasting facility that includes a winery and caves designed by the late Howard Backen, the quintessential wine country architect.

Mike Davis, who founded Davis Estates, alongside his wife Sandy, describes it this way: “We approached Davis Estates as a life experience rooted in hospitality, community and shared enjoyment. It seemed a like a wonderful way to spend our lives.”

Davis Estates is a true second act for Mike and Sandy. In 1989, in a garage in Huntington Beach, Cali., the pair founded a technology company called Applied Computer Solutions, which specialized in building computing systems for scientific and aerospace clients. While they rode the tech wave, they would make occasional visits to the Napa Valley fostering a love for wine. In 2010, they sold the technology company and a life in wine beckoned.

The next year, in May 2011, the Davises purchased a property that had formerly been named Saviez Vineyards at the base of the Vaca Mountains and got to work. They formed a dream team with the previously mentioned Melka and Backen, alongside long respected vineyard manager Davie Piña, whose family has been farming in the Napa Valley since 1960. The Davises and the team spent the next five years turning the initial vision into reality before opening the doors to the public in 2016. In 2020, the winery fortuitously survived the Glass Fire, which burned in the mountains surrounding it.

It obviously helps to have resources to put into a project of this scope and magnitude, but it also requires imagination, tenacity and patience. All of which have been supplied by the Davis family in spades. But to make great wine, you need great grapes. As Walter Leiva, who came to the Davis Estates in 2016 and has been a winemaker since 2023, says, “You can’t make A-plus wine from C-minus fruit.” My initial tasting of the wines from Davis Estates exhibited flavors that can only come from world-class Napa fruit.

The first Davis wine I poured to taste was the aforementioned Lily Fleur Rosé from the recent 2025 vintage. A darkish-pink hue made the wine stand out in my glass, and there were floral and strawberry notes on the nose. The texture was rich and evocative as a summer sipper. Made from 81% pinot noir grown on a dedicated block in the estate’s Carneros holdings on the San Pablo Bay, small amounts of cabernet sauvignon and merlot added a bit of weight to the wine.

I followed that up with another wine sourced from the same Carneros vineyard, a 2024 Davis Estates Pinot Noir. It had a nice balance of fruit and earth on the nose and a hint of a salty sea breeze in the glass. A bright acidity helped focus the light-bodied character of the wine and gave promise that it would be an excellent pairing partner with food.

But as much as I enjoyed these wines, it was the bolder varieties that beckoned. After all, Davis Estates is a Napa winery and that means cabernet. I was fortunate to have been sent the estate’s Bordeaux Blend with the signature windmill on the label. Dubbed the “Zephyr,” the wine was from the 2022 vintage and displayed a deft hand in the blending process. Led by 53% cabernet sauvignon and 25% cabernet franc, it was dark and alluring in the glass and exhibited an earthy, herbal tell on the nose. The fruits were equally alluring, with dark cherries mingling with chocolate and a touch of coffee on the palate. A wonderful young wine that will age well in the years to come.

The finale to my introductory tasting may well have been my favorite wine of the foursome, the 2023 Davis Estates Cabernet Franc. Davis Estates has a block of 35-year-old cabernet franc vines that were planted by the previous owners and more that were recently planted on their Howell Mountain property. This wine was rustic and vibrant. It was ruby red in my glass and had the texture of a glassy pond. The smell of earth from the Napa floor lingered on the nose, and the fruits fell bright and beautiful on the palate with juicy raspberries, dark cherries, and hints of spice. This wine was just fun to drink.

As I said, it is always a joy to be introduced to new wines and their stories.