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We Are Still That Small, Old-Time Winery in the Heart of Napa Valley.

In 1971, Arnold and Alma Tudal purchased 10 acres of walnuts, 3 miles north of St. Helena, in the heart of Napa Valley. After two years of selling walnuts, and at the urging and support of Louis P. Martini (Louis M. Martini Winery), Arnold ripped out his walnut trees and planted Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. As Louis P. said: "You plant Cabs - I'll buy them." As family lore goes, an elderly French relative, who had spent her life as a professional wine taster in Bordeaux, tasted the 1978 Tudal Cabernet Sauvignon and declared it a French Bordeaux! At this point, Arnold knew he had something special and Tudal Winery was born. The first release was our 1979 Tudal Cabernet Sauvignon.

Thus began the legacy of one of Napa Valley's congenial "Old-Timers" - Arnold Tudal. Known as a "country vintner," Arnold would insist you take home the wine you liked and send him the check later. Arnold was one of a select few vintners that baseball great Joe DiMaggio would make a pilgrimage to visit.

Kirk Venge, our consulting winemaker, is one of the country’s most promising young winemakers and the son of one of Napa Valley’s elite winemakers, Niles Venge. In August 2008, the San Francisco Chronicle cited Kirk as one of a quintet of “The New Guard of California Wineries.” Kirk’s philosophy is simple: “Understand the terrior of the specific vineyard and the hidden potential of that site…”

Tudal Winery produces two Cabernet Sauvignon wines - Estate and Old Vine - from 7.5-acres planted in 1974 & 1999. Four other wines, a Los Carernos Chardonnay, a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, an Oakville Zinfandel, and a Mount Veeder Syrah round out the current releases, along with our first ever Saignee Rose and Late Harvest Viognier. Under the Tudal Family Winery label, a single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the Clift Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District has been produced since 2005.

We have received many accolades from wine writers around the country, including: Robert Parker (The Wine Advocate), Bear Dalton (Spec’s in Houston), The Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and The Wine Spectator.