Stony Hill Vineyard

Infobox Company
name = Stony Hill Vineyard

type = Private, family-owned
foundation = 1952
founder = Fred and Eleanor McCrea
location_city = 3 miles north of St. Helena on the wester slope of the Napa Valley, Saint Helena, California
location_country = United States
location =
Napa Valley
locations =
area_served = U.S.
key_people = Proprietors: Peter and Willinda McCrea
Winemaker: Mike Chelini
Office Manager/CA Direct Sales: Mary Burklow
industry = Wine
products = Wine
services = Tastings by appointment, M - F, 9 - 5
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
owner =
num_employees = c. 10
parent =
divisions =
subsid =
slogan =
homepage = http://www.stonyhillvineyard.com
footnotes =
intl =

Stony Hill Vineyard is located south of the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park in the northern reaches of the city of Saint Helena, California. The vineyard is a family-owned business which remained under family control after the death of the founders in 1977. Annual output as of 2007 was 3,400 cases from 40 planted acres, c. 60% of which are planted with Chardonnay. The vineyard's business model focuses on mail order sales direct to individuals in California and indirectly to individuals in other states of the United States, as well as sales to fine-dining restaurants in major metropolitan areas in the United States.

History

In 1943 San Francisco advertising executive Fred McCrea and his wife Eleanor bought 160 acres of homestead land on the west slope of the Napa Valley north of St. Helena. The name Stony Hill Vineyard evolved when they cultivated their first Chardonnay fields in 1947, followed shortly by plantings of Pinot Blanc, White Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Semillon. Their first harvest was in 1952, and they sold their first Chardonnay in 1954. Winemaker Mike Chelini came to Stony Hill in 1972, first as vineyard foreman and then as winemaker when Fred died in 1977. Since then Mike has overseen both vineyard and winery operations, supervising six full time, year-round employees who hand tend the vines and hand pick the grapes. Recently Mike incorporated Napa County’s Fish Friendly Farming and Napa Green practices in the vineyards. Peter and Willinda McCrea, the founders’ son and daughter-in-law, inherited Stony Hill in 1991 when Eleanor died and continue to run the business today.

Wines

After 55 years of operation Stony Hill has remained a small family-owned and run business. Winery production averages 3,400 cases a year from 40 acres of grapes. Chardonnay vines account for 60 percent of those acres, and the rest are divided between White Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Semillon. The family makes a sweet dessert wine in the Italian passito style from their one acre of Semillon. Stony Hill sells mainly to mail order customers in California and in permit and reciprocal states throughout the US and to distributors in major metropolitan areas.

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