Wine Spectator raves about Casa Nuestra. Matt Kramer of Wine Spectator says... "This is the kind of tasting room experience I adore. It's the thrill of discovery, that unmatched sensation of having been there before the word got out. That seems impossible these days, but clearly it's not." Check out the June 30 issue of Wine Spectator or Click here to read more about Mr. Kramer's experience at the Casa.

Casa Nuestra Wines Bring $3000 At Charity Auction! Casa Nuestra's lot was fancifully presented in the theme of this year's auction: "Copa De Napa - Last of the Red Hot Nightclubs". Each bottle was dressed to resemble famous musicians of the speak-easy era, so that the ensemble presented an all-star orchestra. "I tried to match the personalities of the wine to the personalities of the respective musicians," said winery owner Gene Kirkham. Read a the full description of the winesand see photos of our whimiscial display.

Casa Nuestra Winery Participates In First International Conference On Chenin Blanc in Loire Valley, France. Casa Nuestra Winery, of St. Helena, Napa Valley will represent North America in the first international conference on Chenin Blanc to be held in the Loire Valley, France, July 2 through July 5. Casa Nuestra Winery is one of the foremost producers of ultra premium Chenin Blanc, having specialized in the variety for 23 years. Read more...

CATCH AN OYSTER??

Origin of "Casa Nuestra"
   Over the years, we have had many comical misspellings and misstatements of our trade name. Would you believe a shipment of goods came addressed to Catch An Oyster Winery? Casa Nuestra is a Spanish name meaning "our house." It is not, as sometimes suggested, "Cosa Nostra", which is Italian for something else.
   One astute linguist objected that Casa Nuestra is improper grammar, because the adjective should precede the noun thus: Nuestra Casa. Most Spanish linguists consulted agree that Casa Nuestra is permissible.
   It was our predecessor, Tom Blackburn, who originally gave the name to the property. He intended to use Casa Nuestra as a trade name for a commercial kennel of golden retrievers. The sign "Casa Nuestra" was proudly hanging on the Silverado Trail when we first came to look in 1975. Tom loved the Mexican-Spanish heritage of California, so he called his home Casa Nuestra, and he named the vineyard La Jolla Del Norte. These names are reminders of the fact that it was the Spanish padres who first introduced viticulture to California. In the future, when California's status as a primary wine-growing region of the world has settled in for a century or two, it may seem odd that wineries went through a period of avoiding California identification by assuming French names.

Reprinted from the Casa Nuestra Journal 1985