Girard Winery

Thirty years after first planting its vineyards, Girard continues to produce wines reflecting the quality that has made Napa Valley the most famous New World wine-growing region in the world. Napa Valleys rise to fame was punctuated by a renaissance that began at the same time Girard was setting down its own roots. The valleys benchmark year occurred in 1976, when a panel of French judges blind-tasted their own wines against a few upstarts from Napa. Much to everyones surprise, the California wines won first place in both the white and red wine categories. Despite French howls of protest, the now famous Paris Tasting firmly established California on an equal footing with its Old World counterparts. Today, Girard is experiencing a similar rebirth of sorts. Longtime California vintner Pat Roney purchased the winery shortly after the new millennium. Roneys career in wine began as a sommelier at Chicagos renowned Pump Room, where he worked during and after college. Later he return...