Since 1974, Keenan has farmed vineyards high on Spring Mountain, above St. Helena, around a stone winery built in 1904. The estate sits at about 1,700 feet. Its 236 acres are mostly left wild, with just 58 planted to Bordeaux varieties and Chardonnay.
The range covers Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Mernet, the estate's own Merlot-Cabernet blend. Critics including James Suckling and Vinous have scored its wines 90 points and above. Mountain-grown Napa Valley character is usually priced well above this, yet Keenan's bottles stay within reach. Here is a family-run estate whose wines hold their own against far costlier names.
