The Crane Assembly is one of Napa Valley’s oldest wineries, established by Dr. George Beldon “G.B.” Crane in 1855 when he purchased over 300 acres in St. Helena, California, and planted his first vines. Located in the alluvial fan of the Mayacamas Mountains, G.B. then began producing world-class wines.
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For almost 160 years, various growers and winemakers tended the vineyard. It was purchased in 2012 by Dave Phinney, Bryan Sandoli, Kevin Fox, and Daryl Browman, who founded the Crane Assembly, which was recently sold to Vail Miller Jr. and his wife, Leslie, who now carry on G.B. Crane’s trailblazing spirit.
The vineyard is situated on eight acres, four of which combine original plantings from Crane and “mixed black” plantings added in the 1930s. These four acres have been continuously farmed for over 100 years, producing Crane Assembly’s prestigious el Coco. In addition to these vines, the vineyard includes blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, along with two rows of Merlot, and fruit is sourced from other heritage vineyards throughout the Napa Valley.
High Ratings From Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
2019 G.B. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 pts
“A big, bold wine from the estate vineyard in southern St. Helena, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon G.B. Crane Vineyard weighs in at 15.7% alcohol on the label, but it carries it well. Yes, it’s super ripe in its black cherries and dark chocolate notes, its considerable weight and richness, and its supple, melted tannins, but any heat is subsumed under the wine’s substance. No, it won’t be for classicists, but it is a hedonist’s delight. I suggest drinking it on the young side, while the fruit still carries the day.”
The Crane Assembly’s winemakers note that the wet winter and spring that year, followed by a mild summer, concentrated the fruit and imparted the berries’ intense flavor. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak, bottled in August 2021, then allowed to rest a few more years before being released.
2021 G.B. Crane Vineyard el Coco Red Wine – 94 pts
“A blend of 56% Zinfandel and 44% Petite Sirah, the full-bodied 2021 El Coco Red Wine G.B. Crane Vineyard blends notions of red berries with stone fruit, even some citrus blossom and licorice. It’s effusive and exotic on the nose, then ripe and supple on the palate, with just enough structure on the finish to suggest it could stand up to a rare steak off the grill and last up to a decade in the cellar.”
2021 Disciples Red Wine – 92 pts
“A sourced blend of nearly equal parts Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Syrah with around 9% Grenache, the 2021 Disciples is a full-bodied, savory-leaning wine. Scents of asphalt and black olives dominate the nose, joined by hints of menthol and blackberries, while the palate is ripe and supple, then folds in some dusty tannins on the bright, mouthwatering finish. It’s a big wine (15.7% alcohol on the label), but it handles it well, masked by the concentrated fruit.”
