our story

Rachel & Geoff in the vineyard

In 2007 we took a leap of faith and bought grapes from Jack and Marcey Smith in Calistoga, investing everything we had to follow a dream we couldn't fully imagine. Marcey's Vineyard has since been the backbone of our winemaking project.  It's Calistoga AVA location, sandy soil and valley floor climate make it a desirable place to grow Cabernet.

Geoff's incredible attention to detail and gentle hand in winemaking, coupled with  multiple back to back "exceptional" vintages, has led us on an amazing winemaking Journey. In the last 10 years we have slowly built our wine program to add just a couple of new wines, when all of the stars have aligned just right. In the next coming years, these ultra small lot wines will be released in addition to our Marceys' Vineyard Cabernet.
    

Geoffrey Thomas Davies grew up in the northern end of the Napa Valley. St. Helena and later Angwin are where he spent his childhood and later put down roots to start a family with Rachel. Geoff's passion for nature, wine and to pursue our dream of growing Stellareese led him to a career change in early 2013. Geoff began working for Thomas Brown at Outpost Estate and making Stellareese along side some of the most sought after wines in the US; Schrader, Maybach, Casa Piena, and Outpost among others. for the last 6 years Geoff has been handcrafting Stellareese wine at this state of the art facility on Howell Mountain and has taken our wine project to new heights. In the summer of 2019 Geoff took on the role of winemaker at Revana winery in St. Helena.

Rachel Stellareese Davies {Maib}  grew up in Calistoga, the Northernmost town in Napa Valley.   Surrounded by the beauty of the valley, its world-class wine, and inspired winemakers and grape growers, it seemed only natural that she’d become a part of wine world.  In 2004 she began a working with with the man who would help  shape her role.  Greg Brown at T-Vine Cellars became her mentor, teaching her how to make wine, sell wine, and run a winery.  Greg and Rachel worked together for six years, during which time she and her husband Geoff were encouraged by Greg to start their own wine brand.  Stellareese found its genesis in 2007, in the cellars of T-Vine where Rachel made Stellareese through the 2012 vintage.

Our intention is for all of the wines we make and sell to convey the passion we have for this part of the world and the people who make a living doing what they love here.