About Vangone Estate
Ron and Karen Davidowski bought this remote hillside land at the base of Haystack Mountain in 1993 after a multi-year search, though the vineyard itself wasn't planted until 2011. The rugged, two-ridge site near the Silverado Trail, overlooking Rector Reservoir with views toward Screaming Eagle and Continuum Estate, was so inaccessible that Ron had to personally carve a road up the slope before any development could begin.
That road-building effort produced the winery's name and logo: an abandoned, VIN-less 1960s Volkswagen van blocking the path took months to remove, and when it was finally gone, the vineyard manager's simple phone call, "Van gone," stuck. Winemaker Sam Kaplan, who also crafts Arkenstone Estate and Momento Mori, now produces roughly 250 cases of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon a year from the property's rocky, volcanic soil, alongside a tiny, puncheon-fermented Marsanne inspired by trips to France's Rhône Valley.
Ron and Karen Davidowski's 1993 Haystack Mountain property, named for an abandoned Volkswagen van that blocked its only access road.
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Named after an abandoned VW van,the vineyard's whimsical name comes from a rusted, VIN-less 1960s Volkswagen bus that blocked the only road up the hillside for months before it was finally hauled away.
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A road that had to be carved by hand,founder Ron Davidowski personally built the access road up the remote, two-ridge property before any vineyard development could even begin.
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A rare Rhône white among the Cabernet,inspired by visits to Rhône Valley producers like M. Chapoutier, the estate also makes a tiny, puncheon-aged Marsanne from goblet-trained vines.
"Ron and Karen Davidowski's 1993 Haystack Mountain property, named for an abandoned Volkswagen van that blocked its only access road."
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Featured Wines
Current Releases
Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from Vangone Estate, please check the winery's official website or contact the tasting room directly. St. Helena producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
Tasting Experiences
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Vangone Italian Heritage Appointment
Taste the wines at Vangone Estate in St. Helena. By appointment only, reservations required.
From $60
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