Wine List

Enoline Wine System

Enoline Wine System

Nestled at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in the Napa Valley, Dana Estates is dedicated to making small lots of truly distinctive world class wines. Dana is a Sanskrit term meaning “the Spirit of Generosity.” It is in this spirit that we express a profound appreciation for those that have worked the soil before us, as we build on the foundations laid by previous generations of vintners. Blending history and tradition with cutting edge vineyard management, a new state of the art winery and meticulous winemaking, Dana Estates strives to make the greatest wines possible. In so doing, we hope to provide a link between the past and future generations of vintners, and all those who appreciate the generosity of this special land.

Dana Estates is the third winery to occupy this piece of vineyard land in the heart of the famed Rutherford Bench. First farmed and developed by German viticulturalist H. W. Helms in 1883. Proprietor Hi Sang Lee bought the property in 2005. The winery was re-designed by renowned architect Howard Backen, keeping the original stone walls as its centerpiece. Hi Sang and Howard worked carefully with winemakers Philippe Melka and Cameron Vawter to ensure that the space and facilities would enable the production of consistently world-class wines.

Helms Vineyard
This gently sloping site is relatively cool, and is protected from the intensity of the late afternoon heat during the height of the growing season. The gravelly loam soils provide excellent drainage and wonderful fruit purity. Helms Vineyard Cabernet displays the classic profile of the Rutherford Bench: dark fruit, richly layered with a touch of spice and earth. The finely grained “dusty” tannins so prevalent in the appellation are integrated and harmonious, producing a wine of sophistication and depth.

Lotus Vineyard
Located at 1200 feet above sea level in the Vaca Mountains on the east side of the valley, Lotus is the warmest of our three vineyards. With rocky soils and low yielding vines facing west that embrace the afternoon sun, Lotus produces a wine of power and concentration. Packed with layers of black fruit, with notes of mocha, anise and graphite, Lotus tends to be the most full bodied of the three wines we produce.

Hershey Vineyard
The incredibly rocky, rhyolitic soils of this Howell Mountain site provide fruit with structure and depth, yet the cool climate produces a wine of restraint and vibrant acidity. An underlying minerality gives the wine a particularly distinctive character and provides another layer of complexity. The appellation has become a favorite of collectors who value the ageworthy capacity of wines from this elevation.