The History of Failla Winery

While Failla's history may be relatively short, its narrative is rich with complexities that trace back to our inaugural vintage release as Failla-Jordan in 1998. During this seminal year, Failla made its mark with the debut of Alban Vineyard Viognier from Edna Valley and Que Syrah Syrah from Sonoma Coast. Simultaneously, we undertook the planting of the first blocks at our Estate Vineyard in Cazadero, marking the genesis of our viticultural journey. However, the release of our first Estate wines was still several years on the horizon.

Ehren Jordan, the maestro behind Failla, has a penchant for experimentation, especially with his favorite varietals. He coaxes out their various incarnations by subjecting them to different climates—ranging from cool to cooler to the coolest—distinct soil types, and diverse rootstock. This relentless pursuit of excellence began with our initial land acquisition in 1998, followed by the planting of five acres of rootstock in 2002, with subsequent grafting of Pinot Noir clones the following year. Influenced by Ehren's viticultural training in France, our eleven acres of Estate vineyards now yield Syrah, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, capturing the quintessence of California's coolest regions.

Ehren is discerning in choosing the origins of our grapes, yet his commitment to uncovering distinctive, cool-climate Pinot Noir sources has propelled us to broaden our program, embracing renowned vineyards like Hirsch Vineyard (2001), Occidental Ridge (2005), Peay Vineyard & Pearlessence Vineyard (2006), Whistler Vineyard (2009), Savoy Vineyard (2012), and Platt Vineyard (2015). Our exploration even ventured north, incorporating a single-vineyard wine sourced from the esteemed Seven Springs Vineyard in Oregon's Eola-Amity AVA.

Chardonnay and Syrah hold special significance for us, with Failla now proudly offering eight distinct bottlings of Chardonnay and three of Syrah. Sourcing grapes from renowned Napa locations like the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros and the Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville, our Chardonnay repertoire continues to flourish. On the Sonoma front, a picturesque plot on Olivet Road, adjacent to the famed Olivet Vineyard, has been a source of Chardonnay for Failla since 2013.

Syrah, a varietal close to Ehren's heart, traces its roots back to the early 1990s when he farmed and fermented these grapes while working for Jean Luc Colombo in Cornas. Beyond working with two established vineyards—Hudson in Napa and Kick Ranch in Sonoma—we cultivate and bottle our own Syrah from the Estate Vineyard in western Sonoma County, just a stone's throw from the Pacific Coast. Failla's commitment to crafting wines of distinction, embodying the essence of their origin, is a testament to Ehren's passion and the diverse terroirs that inspire us.