Cappella is one of the oldest vineyard sites in St. Helena. Six acres that sit alongside a Catholic cemetery on the west side of town, it was first planted in 1869. In the 1980s the church asked David to tear out the old vines, then he watched as the land lay fallow for close to two decades. When he finally got the chance to replant, he jumped. He'd tasted fruit from Cappella in the 70s and knew what kind of wine it could make. But that first replant was ill-fated thanks to diseased rootstock, and once again he was ripping out vines. “It took us six years before we had a crop. We could have ignored it, pulled the vines out one by one as they collapsed. But then we'd have all these different ripening patterns, which would impact consistency. It was an easy decision.” “The 2015 Cappella should be close to perfection when it is finally released in several years. Inky bluish/purple to the rim, with blackberry, chocolate, graphite, barbecue smoke and forest floor notes, this incredibly rich, pure, structured and powerful wine is multi-dimensional, with huge levels of fruit and glycerin. To say it is a tour de force is almost an understatement. It should have 30-50 years of longevity.” 96-100 Points, Wine Advocate