Ghost Block
Our Ghost Block Single Vineyard wines are meticulously crafted from the highest quality fruit sourced from our family’s four most exceptional organically-farmed vineyards. These vineyards include MorgaenLee and Ghost Block Vineyards in the Yountville AVA, as well as Pelissa and Rock Cairn Vineyards in the Oakville AVA. These extraordinary wines, including Ghost Block Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignons, are produced in extremely limited quantities under the skillful direction of our longstanding Winemaker, Kristi Koford. They stand as collectible treasures, representing the peak of the Pelissa family’s winemaking legacy.
The Ghost Block story traces back to the early 1980s when our current owner, Andy Hoxsey, in his mid-20s, enjoyed a cold beer at the iconic local Yountville bar, Pancha’s, after a day of working in his grandfather’s vineyards. During his visit, he struck up a conversation with a retired veteran who inquired if he farmed the vineyard next to the Yountville cemetery. Andy confirmed, and this conversation took an unexpected turn. The veteran, perhaps under the influence of one too many beers, shared a tale of having seen a ghost leaving the Pioneer Cemetery, traversing through that very vineyard which he referred to as the cemetery field, and ascending the Yountville hillside. This apparition was believed to be the spirit of George C. Yount, the founder of Yountville, who had planted the first grapevine in Napa Valley in 1839. According to the veteran, George C. Yount’s ghost haunted that vineyard, making its way to the hill’s summit to oversee the town he had founded.
Inspired by this encounter, the following morning, Andy moved to trademark the name “Ghost Block.” Thus, two legends were born—the ghost of George C. Yount and Ghost Block Vineyard.
