Bacigalupi Vineyards Archives - Dr. Liz Thach, MW

The Untold Story Of Helen Bacigalupi’s Wild Drive Over The Mountain To Deliver Sonoma Chardonnay To Chateau Montelena

Helen Bacigalupi at Age 96, Co-Founder of Bacigalupi Vineyards & Winery, Sonoma County, CA. BACIGALUPI VINEYARDS I really enjoyed reconnecting with Helen Bacigalupi again after all of these years. I first met her 9 years ago to interview her for my Call of the Vine book when she was 87, and now she is 96! She is still filled with intelligence, grit, drive, and a fun sense of humor. This story below was first published on Forbes.com, with permission to republish here. Go Helen! There is a well-known story in Sonoma County, California that the majority of the grapes that [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2022-09-19T15:47:34-07:00September 19, 2022|

Tasting Bacigalupi Chardonnay with Patrick Sullivan from Edge Hill Estate

This posting is part of my series to honor the Judgment of Paris tastings that are happening in the San Francisco Bay Area this week and next. In my book, Call of the Vine:Exploring Ten Famous Vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, I included two of the famous vineyards that won in the 1976 competition. One of these was the Bacigalupi Vineyard, which produced a large percentage of the chardonnay that went into the bottle of 1973 Chateau Montelena. Today these historic chardonnay vines are still alive and doing well (see previous post). Over the years, the Bacigalupi’s have sold the [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T13:47:31-08:00May 11, 2016|

A Visit to Bacigalupi Vineyards – Home of Chardonnay Grapes Used in Judgment of Paris Wine

This past week I attended the Sonoma County Barrel Auctionand was pleased to see that Helen Bacigalupi was honored as an icon of the wine industry. Standing less than 5 feet tall, 100 pounds, and in her late eighties, Helen is still a whirlwind with a sharp mind and whit. “I’ve limited myself to only 4 ounces of wine per day,” she told me, “because since I only weigh 100 pounds now, I can’t drink more than that.” Seeing her again reminded me of the wonderful day I spent with her several years ago as we walked through her famous [...]

By Dr. Liz Thach, MW|2021-01-23T14:09:31-08:00May 5, 2016|