amicielvineyard.com

Tom and Barbara Gros’ passion for the Napa Valley and its wines began in 1994 during their first visit to Northern California. Twenty years later, they purchased a 42-acre parcel on Atlas Peak from the Collins family, who had owned the property since 1947 and used it for cattle grazing. The land, at an elevation of 1070 feet to 1260 feet, enjoys a direct view of San Pablo Bay, the San Francisco Bay and beyond. The rich, volcanic soil slopes gently to the south, directly aligned to the consistent breeze. Milliken reservoir lies nearby to the east, a key element in Napa’s most reliable aquifer.

À Mi-Ciel Vineyard—a French name literally meaning “Halfway to the Sky”—was born in 2015. With the assistance of PPI Engineering, Barbara and Tom selected the best 5.5 acres with elevations varying from approximately 1110 feet to 1150 feet to develop their own vineyard focused on the production of world-class Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Work on the vineyard began in earnest in 2016 with the earth-moving team of M H Hammond. The 2017 Atlas fire required a pause in the vineyard’s development, as the cleared land was leased to PG&E as a staging site for the utility to re-wire the devastated electricity grid on the mountain. Development was stalled again in 2020 by persistent smoke from that season’s fires, which weakened the vines growing in the nursery. Finally in 2023, 6,045 new Cabernet Sauvignon vines (Clone 7 Protocol 10 on Super Nova 110R rootstock) were planted by Renteria Vineyard Management. Our first harvest, in fall 2025, will be carried out under the farming expertise of Hardin Vineyard Management.

À Mi-Ciel Vineyard’s grapes currently are under contract for purchase with a prestigious winery in Napa Valley.

Images provided by A Mi-Ciel Vineyard. All rights reserved.