Camalie Vineyards was a family owned retreat on Mt. Veeder, six miles northwest of Napa.  Purchased in late 2000 as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the peninsula it became an adventure in grape growing, winemaking and "green" home construction.  The adventure came to a close on 3/2/18 when the property was sold. It was a good 18 year run but, the bitter divorce which forced the sale has tainted the memories. Incompetent Sothebys realtors, staging ripoff, litigious neighbors, forrest fire damage, pending drought and the poor resale value for "green" homes in the final stretch did make it easier to say goodby and good riddance.

The vineyard has since been reincarnated as Hillwalker Vineyards by its new owners and in 2024 received a use permit from Napa county to use the cave as a winery and hold tastings on the property. This site is for anyone curious to know more about the property's history before becoming Hillwalker Vineyards in 2018. A substantial volume of grapes were grown on the property over the 18 years it was Camalie Vineyards which have produced many excellent wines by a host of different wineries who bought the grapes, averaging 10 tons/year. My apologies for the tattered state of this site and its present tense grammar. It hasn't been updated significantly since 2017. Hillwalker Vineyards has not had any involvement in the development of the contents of this site or with the author of its contents.

The Vineyard, Grapes and Wine

Camalie Vineyards is comprised of several blocks totaling 4.4 acres which produce 12 tons of fruit on average, about 2.7 tons/acre. Most of our grapes, 95%, are sold to wineries but 5% of the best grapes go into our home wines.  In 2006 we shipped the first grapes from a replanting of the vineyard done in 2003.

Our home made wine is primarily pure Cabernet Sauvignon, but since 2007 we have been making blends with Carmenere and Merlot also grown on the Camalie Vineyards estate.  In 2010 we blended Syrah from one of our neighbors. One block of 200 original Cabernet Sauvignon vines is now 36 years old thanks to their St. George roots surviving the new strain of phyloxera and penetrating deep enough into our clay soils that they no longer need irrigation. Camalie wines are vinted and aged on the estate in a Cave that was dug in 2004. 

Our Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in the Spring of 2003 are the best ENTAV French clones, types 337,338 and 191.  We also planted 166 Merlot and 166 Carmenere vines at the same time.   The total vine count is now 4200 vines including the 150 "old gentlemen" vines.   Grape growing and informal home winemaking with some of our friends is as far as we plan to go.   The scale of our home winemaking is ~200 gallons/year -- about 80 cases.   

The quality of the grapes from Camalie Vineyards is world class based on numerous blind tastings we have done in the process of making our winemaking.   See my Winemaker's Reports on the vintages 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2005N 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 .    Some pictures of Winemaking 2007, 2008, 2009.  The  Bacchus  Cave was completed in April 2007.

The vineyards cover 4.4 acres while native oak/madrone/redwood forest covers the remaining 18 acres, sequestering carbon at a phenomenal rate. 

Our Story - Every Winery and Vineyard has one.

Camalie House Green Home by Arkin-Tilt Architects 

   Construction   

Miscellaneous Stuff

Mark's Wine Notes-Carmenere Technical Notes

Recognition for our wine.   Wine Making 2004, 2008. 

Other Events in the past;  Topping Tasting, Barrel Mix Tasting, Harvest etc. AJ's 30th birthday 

 Last updated 8/30/24 M.H.  Webmaster mholler@pacbell.net   MboxII  Polka Joe  W&Varticle  HB WC13 WC14   KL HWH SAart Grower's Blog PVM Jasper