Historic Napa Estate Focuses on Dry-Farmed, Head-Trained Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon and Old Vine Petite Sirah, Crafted by Winemaker Graeme MacDonald
(Calistoga, Calif. – September 4, 2024) – Felicia Woytak and Steve Rasmussen are set to release their first wines under the Palisades Canyon label on October 8, 2024. These include a 2021 Chenin Blanc ($75), 2021 Petite Sirah ($75), and 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon ($150), crafted by fourth-generation Napa grapegrower and winemaker Graeme MacDonald.
After searching the Napa Valley for more than ten years for a place to make their own, in 2015, Felicia Woytak found the 796-acre estate property with a historic dry-farmed vineyard and an 1881 farmhouse standing opposite a ghost winery—Bonded Winery No. 118.
Located at the base of The Palisades cliffs, the 17.5-acre Palisades Vineyard is CCOF-certified organic. The vineyard’s volcanic soils, influenced by the Horns Creek alluvial fan, offer ideal growing conditions for the estate’s grapes. Felicia and Steve have embraced regenerative farming practices, and all the vines are head-trained, reflecting Felicia and Steve’s commitment to preserving historic Napa Valley viticultural techniques.
Graeme MacDonald, who farms and makes wine from his family’s To-Kalon property in Oakville under the MACDONALD label, emphasizes minimal intervention in winemaking. His approach results in wines that are restrained yet fresh, aiming for site and vintage specificity.
The estate’s history dates back to the 1870s when James Horn planted the first vineyard. The property has changed hands several times, with significant contributions from the Barberis family, who built Bonded Winery No. 118 in 1915. Felicia and Steve acquired the vineyard in 2015, converting it to organic farming and restoring its natural beauty. They have also introduced initiatives like the Horns Canyon Outdoor Education Project, welcoming local students to learn about farming and land conservation.
The inaugural wines pay tribute to Napa Valley’s winemaking history: the Chenin Blanc recalls a once-dominant varietal, the Petite Sirah honors the vineyard’s legacy, and the Cabernet Sauvignon represents Napa Valley’s modern winemaking epoch.
About Palisades Canyon Wines
Founded by Felicia Woytak and Steven Rasmussen in 2015, Palisades Canyon produces wines from its 796-acre Palisades Vineyard estate at the foot of the magnificent Palisades cliffs east of Calistoga. A living heritage site surrounded by thousands of acres of nature, the CCOF-certified organic vineyard is planted to old vines, some of which date back to the 1960s. In a nod to Napa Valley’s past, present, and future, the Palisades Canyon portfolio of wines made by Graeme MacDonald includes Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. For more information about Palisades Canyon, please visit palisadescanyonwines.com.
