Golden Anniversary Dinner on Howell Mountain
Join us on Howell Mountain for an intimate dinner among the vines at La Jota Vineyard, celebrating 50 years of Cabernet Franc with cuisine by A16.
For this special evening, guests will experience an exceptional lineup of La Jota wines, including Cabernet Franc library vintages and large formats, alongside W.S. Keyes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the W.S. Keyes Vineyard Merlot, recently named Robb Report’s Wine of the Year.
Saturday, September 19, 2026
4:30–7:30 PM
La Jota Vineyard
200 Las Posadas Rd.
Angwin, CA 94508
A Half-Century on Howell Mountain
1976 | Rooted on Howell Mountain
Beside La Jota’s stone winery, a small block of Cabernet Franc was planted into the volcanic soils of Howell Mountain. Just 1.32 acres and grafted to St. George rootstock, these vines would endure phylloxera, changing seasons, and five decades on the mountain to become some of the oldest surviving Cabernet Franc vines in Napa Valley.
From the beginning, La Jota saw Cabernet Franc differently. At a time when the variety was rarely given a place of its own in Napa Valley, here it became an enduring part of the estate and an expression of Howell Mountain in its own right.
Five Decades, Shaped by the Mountain
Time has changed these vines slowly. Today, they produce less fruit, but with a depth, precision, and natural balance earned over fifty growing seasons. Their roots run deep, their canopies require little intervention, and their fruit carries the unmistakable character of the mountain.
“For me, old vines are not simply about age,” says Winemaker Chris Carpenter. “There is a mellowing of the tannins, a harmony with the fruit. I like to think the grapes from these old vines form the soul of the wine.”
2026 | Fifty Years Enduring
Today, regenerative farming practices help preserve the health and resilience of this historic block as it enters its next chapter.
Fifty years after those first vines took root, they remain beside the stone winery where their story began, still rooted in Howell Mountain, still shaped by its extremes, and still at the heart of La Jota.
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