ST HELENA, Calif. – FEBRUARY 7, 2023 – Napa Valley’s acclaimed Chappellet winery (www.chappellet.com) is excited to announce that it has been invited to become a Relais & Châteaux Preferred Partner. With this honor, Chappellet becomes the first American winery to be invited to become a Preferred Partner and joins an exclusive list of some of the world’s top wineries to be named a Relais & Châteaux Partner. Established in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is an association of more than 580 hotels and restaurants around the world operated by independent innkeepers, chefs, and owners who share a passion for excellence and a desire for authenticity in their relationships with their clientele. Preferred Partners are selected based on their shared values with Relais & Châteaux and their ability to provide unique and unforgettable experiences in their signature areas of expertise. “As a multigeneration, family-owned-and-operated winery that sharesRelais & Châteaux’s values and passion for excellence, we are thrilled to build on our longstanding relationship with Relais & Châteaux as a Preferred Partner,”said Cyril Chappellet, the second-generation president and chairman of Chappellet.
Founded in 1967 by legendary vintners Donn and Molly Chappellet, Chappellet was the second post-Prohibition winery established in the Napa Valley. Inspired by the notion that “Bacchus loves the hills,” the Chappellet family settled on Pritchard Hill in the eastern mountains of Napa Valley, where they became some of the earliest pioneers of high-elevation vineyard planting. Though grapes grown above 1,000 feet represent only approximately 3% of total production in California, mountain-grown wines represent a significant portion of the most iconic and sought-after wines in America. Still independent and family-run today, Chappellet’s mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons from Pritchard Hill have earned global renown and are recognized as benchmarks for their region, having received multiple 100-point scores and glowing comparisons to the First Growths of Bordeaux from top wine critics.
“Since 1967, our family’s winery on Pritchard Hill has been dedicated to crafting world-class, mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon,” added Cyril Chappellet. “Like each Relais & Châteaux property, we strive for perfection in everything we do, from the meticulous way we organically farm our vineyard to the deep and enduring bonds we forge with our customers. Over the years, we have enjoyed remarkable relationships with many Relais & Châteaux owners and properties in North America. We look forward to building on these strong connections as we grow our presence around the globe.”
Chappellet has been partnering with a number of Relais & Châteaux properties in North America over the past decade, hosting curated weekends for their collectors at prestigious properties that include Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, The Wauwinet in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Planters Inn in Charleston, South Carolina and Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, California.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Chappellet at multiple Relais & Châteaux properties for the last 15 years,” said Molly Smith, the general manager of Triple Creek Ranch. “The history, familiarity, and elegance that the winery has carried through to the guests has elevated experiences and memories.”
As a Preferred Partner, Chappellet will be hosting additional special “Collectors’ Weekends” for both Relais & Châteaux members and Chappellet collectors at Relais & Châteaux properties throughout North America in 2023. The winery will also be developing new ways to engage with Relais & Châteaux members and its global association of restaurants and hotels, including vintner dinners, tasting events, wine education experiences, and the expansion of Chappellet’s “Collectors’ Weekends” into Europe and Asia.
In commenting on Chappellet’s new status as a Preferred Partner, David Fink, the proprietor of Relais & Châteaux property L’Auberge Carmel, said, “More than half a century ago, Donn Chappellet left his corporate life in Los Angeles to find one of the most idyllic places to raise a family and become a wine grower. Today, the Chappellet family carries Donn’s vision forward and has created some of the most special wines made in California.”
About Chappellet
In 1967, on the advice of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, the Chappellet family settled on the steep slopes of Pritchard Hill© and founded Chappellet, becoming just the second post-Prohibition winery in Napa Valley. As pioneers of high-elevation vineyard planting, Chappellet has earned acclaim for crafting benchmark wines with an emphasis on mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons, while establishing Pritchard Hill as one of the world’s great wine regions.
About Relais & Châteaux – A Movement with Meaning
Relais & Châteaux, established in 1954, is an association of 580 unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs – most often families – who are passionate about their craft and deeply committed to forging warm, lasting relationships with their guests. Relais & Châteaux members protect and promote the wealth and diversity of the world’s culinary and hospitality traditions, to ensure they continue to thrive. They are equally dedicated to preserving local heritage and the environment, as articulated in the association’s Vision presented to UNESCO in November 2014. For more information, visit www.relaischateaux.com.
