Details of the sale were not disclosed, but land in Rutherford can command prices upward of $250,000 per acre. While Wood Ranch is not a marquee name, it provided fruit for many high-profile wineries in the region. The Wood family, who farmed the property for decades, sold their grapes to neighbors such as Quintessa, Caymus, Freemark Abbey and Rutherford Hill. Frank said he had to compete with many prospective buyers to purchase the property.
He said he pursued the Wood Ranch deal because of its ideal location and Rutherford’s status as a top growing region. “I just don’t think you can find a better Cabernet-growing area anyplace in the world, actually,” he told Wine Spectator. The vineyard is a short distance from Frank Family’s Winston Hill vineyard, and producers such as Caymus, Round Pond and Honig call the area home.
The property will allow Frank Family to expand its production, something Frank has been interested in doing for some time. The winery currently owns three vineyards spread throughout Napa Valley and has over 250 acres planted to vines. But wine sales were outstripping its production, forcing it to buy grapes. “We’ve just been growing and growing and we need to take that next step,” said Frank.
Frank Wood inherited the land that would become Wood Ranch after marrying the daughter of a Rutherford rancher and deciding to plant grapes. In the 1950s, his son, the late Frank “Laurie” Wood, who helped plant some of Napa’s premier vineyards, took over the property. The vineyard is planted mainly to Bordeaux varieties as well as Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, with about 20 acres planted to Chardonnay.
Following the sale, Rich Frank plans to phase Wood Ranch’s grapes into his reserve wines, specifically the reserve Cabernet. The winery is considering its options for the other varieties, including the Chardonnay. Frank said there are no plans to replant the entire property.
Frank parlayed a successful career in the entertainment industry into wine. He is a partner with Prospect Park, a management television production company, and currently produces television shows such as Royal Pains for the USA network and Wilfred for FX. A former Disney executive, he helped launch the Disney Channel and served as president of Walt Disney Studios for nearly a decade. He was also president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
While working for Disney in the late 1980s, Frank started visiting Napa Valley and purchased a house in Rutherford several years later. He owned some vineyards and sold his grapes but never planned to have a winery. That changed in 1992 when a friend informed him that Kornell Champagne Cellars was for sale. The winery focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay but also produces Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Petite Sirah.
source : winespectator.com
