There are days in the vineyard when the work announces itself quietly. No fanfare. No audience. Just the sound of boots on gravel, the steady pull of wire, the scrape of a shovel against rocky soil. These are the days that don’t always make it into tasting notes—but they shape the wine just the same. Cabernet Franc has always been a favored grape of Paloma Owner & Winemaker Sheldon Richards. It reflects patience, restraint, and the willingness to do things the long way. It also reflects the people who farm it—their judgment, their persistence, and, quite literally, their hands. Calloused hands that tell stories long before a bottle is opened. This is one of those stories. Why We Replanted Replanting a vineyard is not something you do lightly. It’s a decision measured in decades, not seasons. For us, it began with careful observation and an uncomfortable truth: a portion of our vineyard was impacted by Red Blotch virus. Red Blotch affects a vine’s ability to fully ripen fruit. Sugars lag. Flavors don’t quite come together. You can farm thoughtfully, adjust canopy, and make winemaking choices to compensate—but at a certain point, honesty steps in. The wine tells you what the vineyard needs. So we made a choice rooted in humility and responsibility. Rather than asking compromised vines to give more than they could, we chose to start again—block by block, decision by decision. “I may or may not see the wine that comes from this block,” Sheldon said one afternoon, standing at the edge of the deck view-point. “But my kids and their kids will”.

Napa Valley award-winning wines: Paloma's 2019 Merlot & 2021 Cabernet. Double Gold winner. Aged 20+ years. Read more about these vintages here.

Visiting Napa Valley year-round helps you plan smarter tastings, shipping, and winery visits. Read insider tips and start planning your trip today.

Wine terroir shapes every sip at Paloma Vineyard. From soil and slope to sunlight and elevation, this article explains how place defines our wines.

The holidays are a time of warmth, laughter, and lingering conversations around a table that feels just a little bit magical. At Paloma Vineyard , we believe that the right wine can turn a good holiday gathering into a deeply memorable one. Whether you’re cozying up by the fire or welcoming friends through your front door, choosing a holiday red that resonates with the season adds richness to every moment. Red wines, with their deep hues and comforting aromatics, often feel like the unofficial wine of cool nights and festive gatherings. This year, elevate your celebrations with selections that embody structure, balance, and that touch of elegance holiday hosts crave.

Nestled on the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains and overlooking the iconic Napa Valley, the Spring Mountain District AVA offers a truly elevated wine‑country experience. With vineyards planted on steep hillsides, above the valley floor, this mountain appellation is all about high altitude vineyards, dramatic terroir and a hospitality style grounded in family, craft and place.

Wine tasting is more than etiquette and ceremony. It’s an opportunity to listen to your palate — to discover what flavors resonate most with you, so that in later tastings or purchases, you can ask for “more of that. ” When you can name what you like, you unlock a more rewarding, deeper wine experience. Below is your refined guide to wine tasting etiquette — yes — but always in service of helping you tune in to your preferences.

At Paloma, Merlot is the soul of our story. It is the grape that founders Jim & Barbara fell in love with on their journey to Spring Mountain.  Picture this: it’s the late 1970s, and Barbara and Jim are visiting the Duckhorn vineyard, tasting their famed Three Palms Merlot. They lean into a sip and feel stirred—not just by the wine’s richness, but by its quiet elegance. That moment sparked something. They looked at each other and thought, “This is the wine we want to make. These are grapes we have to grow.” Before they even found the site, they had their hearts set on Merlot. By the time they found the raw land at the top of Spring Mountain, there was no changing their minds. Back then, planting Merlot at that elevation was almost unheard of—too cool, too risky. But they trusted their instincts and took the leap.

Wine tasting and aging go hand in hand. Learn how patience and ritual shape each bottle into a story and train your palate with every sip.

This medium-bodied wine shows vanilla, raspberry, cassis, and spice with a long finish. Taste it today and enjoy its elegant balance.

Paloma’s 2019 Merlot opens with cranberry, cassis, and mocha notes, balanced by floral tannins. Taste this vintage and experience its lasting finish.

At Paloma Vineyard, sustainability is more than just a practice—it’s the foundation of everything we do. Nestled on Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain, our small, family-run vineyard has been embracing sustainable and regenerative farming for over four decades. Every choice we make, from cover cropping to solar power, reflects our deep respect for the land and our commitment to producing exceptional wines that honor both our family legacy and the environment.

Break down Merlot’s flavor, structure, and styles. Read the facts and choose your next bottle.

At Paloma Vineyard, tastings are personal and serene, with only nature and the winemaker’s voice. Visit us and experience Napa like home.

As Barbara said, “it starts in the vineyard.” Learn how sustainability shapes our Napa Valley practices and why it matters for the future of wine.

Since 1983, Paloma Vineyard on Spring Mountain has grown into a winery that feels like home. Visit us and experience the legacy in every glass.

Learn how sustainable farming supports our vineyard quality. Read the article and see our practices.

As a family-run winery on Napa’s Spring Mountain, we’ve spent over 40 years embracing methods that respect both the land and future generations. Sustainable wine and our winemaking is a year-round commitment, and for us, every decision, from vineyard management to bottling, is an opportunity to honor this responsibility.

At Paloma Vineyard, we don’t just grow grapes—we cultivate sustainability. Nestled on the slopes of Spring Mountain, our vineyard is a source of exceptional wine; it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. For over four decades, we’ve embraced sustainable practices, but today, we take it further with regenerative farming , ensuring that our land thrives not just for us but for generations to come.