Showbiz Exec Rich Frank and Napa Notable Koerner Rombauer
Make First Winemaking Venture Together a Hit.
(November 2004)—Located in the historic Larkmead winery in Calistoga (the 3rd oldest winery in Napa), Frank Family Vineyards is co-owned by longtime Disney executive Rich Frank, who currently is the Chairman of talent management agency The Firm, and well-known Napa wine producer Koerner Rombauer. Their limited-production, fruit-forward, yet balanced wines have a loyal following that is due both to the popularity of Winemaker Todd Graff’s “blockbuster” wines and the convivial tasting room. Rich and Koerner met in the late 1980s in Napa, and in 1992 had the opportunity to purchase Kornell Champagne Cellars at the Larkmead winery. In 1996, the duo acquired Napa Cellars in Oakville. What might be considered by some an unlikely partnership of Hollywood and farming, has proven to be an immensely successful joint venture, melding Koerner’s winemaking vision and Rich’s keen understanding of a memorable visitor experience, with a shared passion for wines of the highest quality.
The Tasting Room at Frank Family Vineyards
Thanks
to a friendly staff lead by Dennis Zablosky, a no-frills tasting
room and no-charge policy for tasting, Frank Family’s tasting
room is one of the busiest and most successful in Napa.
“We sell wine here, not t-shirts,”
brags Dennis, who is always happy to pour tastes of $100 bottles
or a pre-released wine for an old or new friend.
As former president of Disney Studios, winery Co-Owner Rich Frank knows just how to make visitors feel welcome. “With my background at Disney, I really learned how to create a friendly and unique guest experience, and I’ve been able to transfer those skills to Frank Family, as well as turn it into an educational process for our visitors. We have something very special in our dynamic staff, our wine, and our history. We don’t believe in charging for tastings or tours, and our tasting room is extremely down-to-earth. We want our guests to feel like they’ve discovered something very special and very real.”
Of the tasting room, the California Visitor Review wrote, “You can taste wine at hundreds of wineries throughout California, but you'll never have a better wine-or a better time- than at Frank Family Vineyards.” At times rowdy and brimming with laughter, guests that visit the tasting room often find the experience refreshing in that the only focus at Frank Family Vineyards is wine and fun. A visit to the winery is not complete without a story-filled tour or at least a walk through the historic building where the thick stone walls, high-stacked barrels and rich bouquet of aging wines create the utmost in winery ambience. The winery provides separate tasting areas for sparkling wines and still wines. Just outside, to the south of the building, visitors are welcome to sit under the giant oak trees, relax at the wooden picnic tables and enjoy spectacular vineyard views.
History of Frank Family Vineyards
First constructed as the Larkmead Winery in 1884, the building
was refinished with native sandstone from the nearby hills in
1906 and still stands tall today. The massive stone edifice is
considered one of the finest structures in the Napa Valley; it
appears on the National Register of Historical Places and is
listed as a Point of Historical Interest in the state of California.
Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer partnered in 1992 to acquire the winery and originally named the winery Frank-Rombauer Cellars. This name created some confusion with Koerner’s primary brand—Rombauer Vineyards, and they renamed the winery Frank Family Vineyards in 1998.
In the year 2000, the winery suffered the most devastating fire in Napa’s history. Frank Family Vineyards lost thousands of cases of wine, including their 1997 vintage. Several small wineries that had custom crush and storage operations at the property lost their entire inventory as well. The historic stone winery was saved in the fire, while most of the newer areas were completely destroyed. The winery was reconstructed in 2001 and is in full production today.
The Wines
Five sparkling wines are handcrafted today in the old stone building:
Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Rouge and Reserve. All
of these are made in the traditional French methode champenoise
style.
While the sparkling wines are a popular diversion for visitors, Owners Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer focus their energies on making superb still wines. The winery produces Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese and three Cabernet Sauvignons. The highly regarded Winston Hill proprietary Cabernet Sauvignon blend ($100), which comes from one of the steepest vineyards in Napa, and the Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($65), which is barrel aged for two and one-half years, have emerged as two of the most sought after wines in Napa. Frank Family’s Carneros vineyards produce Chardonnay ($29) that is definitively marked by Koerner Rombauer’s signature style, which is most often called a “red wine drinker’s white wine” for its full and creamy mouth-feel. The Sangiovese, a rising star, is created entirely from grapes grown on the highest point on Rich’s property and the Zinfandel comes from selected grower sources in Napa.
Frank Family Vineyards’ wines are produced in small quantities and the majority of the wines are primarily sold at the winery. However, Frank Family’s national distribution is growing due to increased market demand, and their Chardonnay, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon may now be found in nearly 20 states throughout the country.
The Vineyards
Frank Family Vineyards owns some of the finest vineyard land in
Napa. With 25 acres of land planted to Bordeaux varieties (of
107 total acres owned by the Franks) on Winston Hill located
on Rich Frank’s personal estate vineyards on the east side
of the Napa Valley along the Vaca Mountain Range. In cool climate
Carneros, 138 acres of the Buchli Station Vineyard yield Frank
Family’s signature Chardonnay, and 50 acres east of the
Vaca Mountain range in Napa’s Capell
Valley are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, which will first come
on line with the 2004 vintage. These diverse vineyard holdings
and site specific locations allow Winemaker Todd Graff a plethora
of tools at the blending table and the ability to craft some of
Napa’s finest wines.
Getting There:
From Highway 29
From St. Helena, head north on Highway 29. Go about 4 miles north
of Deer Park Road. Make a right turn on Larkmead Lane and go about
a mile to the winery.
From the Silverado Trail
Heading north on the Silverado Trail, pass Deer Park Road and proceed
north about 4 miles. Make a left turn onto Larkmead Lane. The
winery is about a mile down the road on the left.
ABOUT FRANK FAMILY VINEYARDS
Founded by Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer in 1992, Frank Family
Vineyards’ convivial tasting room offers a perfect off-the-beaten
path feel for wine lovers looking for a new secret. Most often
seen sporting broad smiles and wielding open bottles, the gregarious
tasting room staff offers one of the most varied and casual tasting
experiences in the Napa Valley—and keeps their fans coming
back. Rich Frank estimates that about 85% of the visitors to
Frank Family are either repeat visitors or have heard about the
winery through family and friends. With that many thirsty guests,
Winemaker Todd Graff is a busy man: he crafts three Cabernet
Sauvignons, a Chardonnay from Carneros, as well as a Zinfandel,
a Sangiovese, a Port and five sparkling wines that are only sold
through the tasting room.
Located at 1091 Larkmead Lane in Calistoga, Frank Family Vineyards is open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary for a tasting, and there is no charge for a tasting or tour. Tours are available Tuesday through Thursday at 11am and 1pm. Please visit www.frankfamilyvineyards.com or contact Dennis Zablosky at 800.574.9463 for more information.
For visitors from Golden Haven, we offer a complimentary tasting
of our current release wines when you identify yourself by presenting
your room or spa receipt.
Frank Family Vineyards/ Napa Cellars Oakville
1091 Larkmead Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515
1-800-574-9463
Website: http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com