Four decades after its first vintage, the Healdsburg winery continues to champion old-vine Zinfandel and Rhône varietals from vines planted in 1910
September 30, 2026 (Healdsburg, CA) — Limerick Lane Cellars, the acclaimed Russian River Valley estate known for its century-old vineyards, celebrates its 40th harvest this fall, marking four decades since the property produced its first vintage under its own label.
Before the winery ever bottled under the Limerick Lane name, the estate vineyard began shaping the region’s reputation by selling its fruit to some of Sonoma County’s most respected producers, including Gary Farrell, DeLoach Vineyards, Beringer Vineyards, and Davis Bynum. The contemporary winemakers at that time sought out this particular corner of the Russian River Valley for what the site could deliver, and wines made from Limerick Lane fruit helped build the case for the appellation itself.
That case was vigorously made by Tom Collins, the estate’s original owner, farmer, and winemaker. At a time when the Russian River Valley was still defining itself, Collins was among the first to argue that this land was capable of producing world-class wine. He farmed with conviction, championed the region to anyone who would listen, and helped establish the Russian River Valley as a serious growing area rather than a source of anonymous fruit. Limerick Lane’s first vintage was the natural extension of that belief.
“Hitting our fortieth harvest is a testament to the resilience of this winery and everyone who contributed to its success along the way,” notes Karen Francis DeGolia, owner of Limerick Lane Cellars, “Tom saw what this land could do before most people did, and everything we make here is predicated on that conviction. Our role is to carry forward the vision that began forty years ago and let these vines keep telling their story.”
DeGolia’s own history with the estate stretches back nearly as far as the winery itself. She was Collins’s fiancée in the early 1990s, spending long hours on the ranch as the vineyards were revitalized and the young label found its footing. After Tom’s unexpected passing, she left Healdsburg and built a career few in wine would have predicted, becoming one of the youngest female executives in the automotive industry in Detroit.
But the pull of the property never fully released her. She returned to the Lane in 2002 to live and work at the winery, and though another opportunity drew her back to San Francisco two years later, she remained tethered to the land, purchasing the neighboring Ricci vineyard and 12-acre Cypress Ridge soon after. When Limerick Lane came up for sale years later, the pieces were already in place—Karen bought the estate, folded in her own vineyards to create the current 53-acre property, and closed a circle that had been open for three decades.
Today, the estate remains defined by its history: the original block, planted in 1910, still produces Zinfandels of structure and finesse under winemaker Chris Pittenger. Farming remains hands-on and minimal-intervention: limited irrigation, often dry-farming, no conventional herbicides, and permanent cover crops that support long-term vineyard health. Scaling the winery has been deliberate, and in a contracting market it has proven a durable model: in total, the estate produces roughly 5,000 cases annually, with most bottlings released in quantities under 300 cases.
The anniversary year will also bring a new release from the estate and a celebration commemorating the many people who have helped shape Limerick Lane Cellars through the years, with details to be announced in the coming months.
About Limerick Lane Cellars
Limerick Lane Cellars is a 53-acre estate in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California, home to one of the state’s most significant heritage vineyards, originally planted in 1910. Owned by Karen Francis DeGolia and led by winemaker Chris Pittenger, the winery produces world-class Zinfandel and Rhône varietals from sustainably farmed, century-old vines, with production limited to 5,000 cases per year. The estate also offers overnight stays in two on-site guest homes and hosts intimate dinners and events among the vines.
