When Tom Burgess arrived in the Napa Valley, he began a quest for the perfect vineyard site where he could cultivate the fruit that yields the Cabernet Sauvignon wine he loved. His passion became a life’s work. Burgess acquired the Souverain estate from Lee Stewart and hired Bill Sorenson as chief winemaker who remained Burgess Cellars’ winemaker for 41 vintages, one of the longest tenures in the history of the Napa Valley. When Tom and Bill retired, Tom’s son Steve Burgess assumed the mantle of Director with Winemaker Kelly Woods.
The story of Burgess includes Napa Valley history and 150 years of growth rooted in the stony soils of Howell Mountain, culminating in the elegant wines of a new century.