One Acre Wonder Sylvie Estate Scores Its First Restaurant Placement - At the French Laundry

Kurt Niznik (winemaker), Cristina Lopez (sculptor and co-proprietor), and
Kendall Smith (vineyard manager)

Could it become the next cult wine?

That is the question that the owners of Sylvie Estate are asking themselves after releasing their first wine - an Oakville Cabernet from their one acre valley floor vineyard on the Silverado Trail.

The wine's first restaurant  placement is on the wine list of the ultra prestigious French Laundry.

How often does that happen to a winery's first release?

The success of Sylvie's first vintage, in this case, lies with both the winemaker, the vineyard and the winery.

Sylvie's tiny size - a one acre vineyard in Oakville - is not the only story here. Sylvie is also a case study in Napa (and America's) ethnic mashup when it comes to making fine wine. The winemaker is an American child of Mexican-American and Slovakian-Slovenian parents, the vineyard co-owner is a native of New Mexico and the wine is a French varietal. The name of the wine - Sylvie - comes from the other co-owner's Finnish mother. Wine seems to bring people together.

Sylvie's winemaker is the highly regarded Kurt Niznik, a Yale graduate, who spent five years on the winemaking team at prestigious Continuum (owned by Tim Modavi). That's enough to get anyone to take notice. But that isn't the whole story.

The vineyard, of course, is the other big piece - as well as the loving eye of attentive owners.

With one acre, or actually a little less, vineyard manager Kendall Smith is able to keep her eyes very focused on this tiny (certified organic) vineyard where the Lopez's chickens roam freely.

And where is this micro vineyard? Right there in plain sight - on the east side of the Silverado Trail in Napa. You can't miss Henry and Cristina Lopez's Santa Fe Pueblo style home on the right (near the Dal Valle sign) in Oakville. (Note: The winery is not open to visitors). It's a bold announcement that New Mexico is alive and well in Napa Valley.

Alburquerque native Henry Lopez, a scientist with his own lab company (MuriGenics on Mare Island) in nearby Vallejo, and his wife, Cristina, a sculptor, moved here from the Oakland hills in 1989 to build a house on this piece of land. Henry always wanted a vineyard. But unlike many home owners who aspire to have a vineyard by their home, the couple's wine - not just the vineyard - is a dream come true.

Scientist Brian Atwood also partnered with Henry Lopez and the rest of the team on the winemaking venture.

"Dense, black-purple, with hints of dark garnet at the rim" is how the winery's website describes the color of the 2013 Sylvie Cabernet. It goes on: "Intense aromas of cassis and blackberry...rich berry and plum flavors unfurl on the palate..."

It truly is a sumptuous wine.

Enjoy these photos of the Lopez's world and wine. Sylvie is available (by mailing list only) for $130 per bottle. Both the 2010 and 2013 are available on the French Laundry wine list. It sure is fun to see Napa's tiniest organically grown wine making it to the big time.

French Laundry team visiting Sylvie Estate