About Checkerboard Vineyards
Checkerboard Vineyards occupies 342 acres on Diamond Mountain, from the valley floor up to roughly 2,000 feet, assembled starting in 1998 by real-estate developers Dennis O'Neill and Stephen Martin. The name comes from a previous owner, Dean Witter III, who called the property "the Checkerboard Ranch"; the land also passed through the hands of Mike Martini and the Bechtel family before the current ownership.
About 14 of those acres are planted, split across four named blocks, Spring Meadows, Coyote Ridge, Aurora and Nash Creek, farmed by vineyard manager Jim Barbour, who often makes more than 100 separate picks in a single harvest. Winemaking passed from founding winemaker Martha McClelland to Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky of Atelier Melka. Annual production runs around 700 cases, roughly 80% of it sold through the estate's allocation list.
The estate takes its name from a previous owner, Dean Witter III, who called the property "the Checkerboard Ranch."
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Four vineyard blocksRoughly 14 of the estate's 342 acres are planted across four named blocks: Spring Meadows, Coyote Ridge, Aurora and Nash Creek.
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Over 100 picks a harvestVineyard manager Jim Barbour farms the property block by block, often making more than 100 separate picks in a single season.
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New winemaking teamPhilippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky of Atelier Melka now oversee winemaking, succeeding founding winemaker Martha McClelland.
"A low-profile, allocation-only Diamond Mountain producer built on meticulous block-by-block farming rather than public visibility."
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Featured Wines
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Sauvignon Blanc
NV · Diamond Mountain District
The estate's white wine, drawn from its Diamond Mountain vineyard blocks.
RED BLEND
Impetuous
2019 · Napa Valley
A proprietary red blend released under the Impetuous label.
RED BLEND
Aurora Vineyard
2018 · Diamond Mountain District
A vineyard-designate red from the estate's Aurora block.
Wine names and vintages per napawineproject.com and retail listings, July 2026; roughly 80% of production is allocated to the mailing list rather than sold at retail.
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Estate Tasting by Appointment
A private, appointment-only visit to the 342-acre Diamond Mountain property; the winery does not host walk-in guests.
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