Where to begin when telling the story of a third-generation grape-growing family in one of Napa Valley‘s most recognized AVAs? Well, how about if we go back to 1965 when John and Joan Tench purchased 61 acres of land on the eastern Oakville bench? The Oakville bench, which is located where the Vaca Mountain Range and the Napa Valley floor converge, possesses some of the best soils in the world to grow grapes. This is why in 1971 John and Joan embraced the rocky and iron-rich soils that make this part of the region famous and decided to plant vines and give life to Tench Vineyards. Today Tench Vineyards consists of 42 acres of vines and a 19-acre knoll covered by oak trees, fruit trees and grasses.

For decades Tench Vineyards focused on only growing grapes and throughout the years became one of the most important grape growers in Napa Valley. That changed in 2016 when Margaret Tench, John’s granddaughter, along with her husband Rem Reigersman decided to break ground on their Estate winery. Margaret and Rem, who are now the proprietors and torchbearers of Tench Vineyards, crafted their first vintage in 2017. Still committed to the original mission of producing world-class fruit, Tench Vineyards continues to sell 90% of their grapes with 85% of it being Cabernet Sauvignon.

We visited Tench on a beautiful summer day and after exploring the winery, wine cave and vineyards we were fortunate to be invited to their home, which sits next door to the winery, for a tasting. The tasting took place on their terrace overlooking one of the most picturesque views of the valley we have had the opportunity to enjoy. Tench is making four wines, all of them from estate-grown fruit. We started our tasting with their 2022 Tench Estate Sauvignon Blanc and we immediately knew that we were in for a special tasting. The wine was round, refined, and elegantly showcased bright fruit highlighted by fresh peach notes. It could be the best Sauvignon Blanc we have had. Following, we tasted the 2021 Tench Estate Lilian John which is a Bordeaux blend inspired by the Merlot wines from the Right Bank that pays homage to Margaret’s grandparents, Lilian and John, by using the Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes from their Estate. With its layers of complexity, this wine helps us better understand why the eastern Oakville bench consistently produces age-worthy wines. The third wine we got to enjoy was the 2021 Tench Estate Cabernet Franc which is inspired by Rem’s love for the varietal. We found its fragrance on the nose and its peppery and floral notes on the palate to be graciously engaging and intriguing. To close out the tasting we enjoyed the 2021 Tench Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and let’s begin by saying: WOW what a wine. We found this wine to be balanced and elegant while showcasing an age-worthy structure with inviting tannins that highlight the exceptional fruit that it is crafted with. In summary, a well-rounded wine that should find its way to the cellar of any Cabernet Sauvignon lover.

After experiencing the sense of family, the hospitality, the generosity and the attention to detail during our visit we now understand why Tench Vineyards has been a decades-long generational leader in Napa Valley. With a copper foil representing the earth, labels that represent the family farm throughout the four seasons of the year accompanied by Rem’s family coat of arms, Margaret’s family name and the exceptional fruit they grow we believe that the Tench Estate wines will also become a Napa staple.

Situated in a picturesque pocket of Napa and surrounded by neighboring vineyards from the likes of Screaming Eagle and  Backus from Joseph Phelps a visit to Tench Vineyards is a true escape to paradise. The winery is not open to the public but if you reach out to them you might get lucky enough to enjoy an unforgettable tasting experience.