The first vines were planted in 1880 by Charles Nathan Pickett, a pioneering winemaker in the region. Despite the disastrous effects of Prohibition on viticulture, this vineyard situated in Calistoga, at the foot of Palisade Mountains, has fortunately survived. The domain was bought by Milton and Barbara Eisele in 1969, a retired couple who decided to start making wine. Their ambition was to produce terroir-driven wines and they chose Cabernet Sauvignon as their grape variety. After more than 20 years at the domain, they passed it down to Paul Draper, the winemaker of Ridge Vineyards. The Araujos arrived in 1990 and definitively changed the domain: Daphne and Bart Araujos are in fact the first American winemakers to have applied biodynamics to their vineyards. In 2013, the Artemis group bought this 15-hectare gem.

The cuvée Altagracia is named after Bart Araujo’s grandmother. This wine resembles a Bordeaux in terms of its blend and vinification. The grapes come from the eastern parcels of Eisele Vineyard and are complemented by grapes bought from other grapegrowers in Napa Valley. It can be enjoyed from now or after a few years of aging.