Wagner Family Vineyards

Open: Year Round

Chuck Wagner has spent his life in the vineyards of Rutherford, near the center of Napa Valley, steering his family's business from its earliest beginnings to the present day. Through the years, he has lived through many changes and has been recognized for his winemaking and industry leadership - but he still holds onto a deep humility as well as appreciation for great wine, family and the connections between the two.

Chuck was just 19 when he joined his parents in 1972 to create Caymus Vineyards, taking them up on their proposal to sell the home wines they had been making from grapes they grew on their property. He and his father, Charlie, worked long days side by side, managing every part of the business. His mother, Lorna, took on many jobs including work on the bottling line. Lunches eaten together each day remain one of Chuck's favorite memories, a tradition he has carried on with his own home-cooked breakfasts for his kids.