Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/742839
76 WINES&VINES November 2016 I f you have the time, resources and vision for a Napa Valley winery, you might as well go big and go for the best. The new Davis Estates winery, which became fully operational for the 2016 harvest, is located in the northern half of Napa Valley, just south of the city of Calistoga, Calif. Founded by Mike and Sandy Davis, the estates referenced in the winery's name include the 114-acre property on which the winery stands, a contiguous 44-acre property the Davises purchased in 2012, after they bought the first property in 2010, as well as vineyards in the Carneros and Rutherford appellations and a planned vineyard on Howell Mountain. Howard Backen and his team at Backen Gillam & Kroeger Architects designed the winery, grounds and interiors of the estate, which is a blend of rustic farm, luxurious Napa Valley hospitality and sophisticated winemaking. Ledcor Construction built the winery. The background In many ways, the winery is a reflection of its owner Mike Davis, who recently led Wines & Vines on a tour of the winery. Davis has the large build of a former athlete—he threw the discus and shotput in college—and charismatic charm and self-deprecating wit. Strolling around the winery in jeans and a well-worn cowboy hat, Davis exudes an affability that belies his laser focus on building a top-tier Napa Valley estate. "First and foremost it's farming: Let's make the best grapes we can, and then after that the best wine," he says. "And then let's give ourselves a wonderful place to share that wine with our guests." He and wife Sandy Davis had the means to do this because they founded Applied Computer Solutions in Southern California in 1989 and went on to build back-end Unix systems for big-name clients like AT&T, Visa, iTunes, Direct TV and others. In 2010 the Davises sold their company and began in earnest to look for a winery property in Napa Valley. The couple already owned a small vineyard (a source of estate Sauvignon Blanc) and home in Rutherford, but they had a vision of building a winery. Mike Davis grew up in between Silicon Valley and San Fran- cisco, Calif., and his family would go camping every summer at a ranch in Napa County near Lake Berryessa. Davis grew to love the area, and after he turned 21 he found a new reason to love Napa. When Davis and his soon-to-be wife were dating more than 35 years ago, they'd also visit Napa Valley regularly. Soon after selling their company, the Davises found the 114-acre property near Calistoga for sale. The land had been owned by members of the Saviez family since the 1900s. The Davis Estates A rural aesthetic meets high technology in Napa Valley's Calistoga By Andrew Adams TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT