Tom Farella has been “all in” since he and his father, Frank, decided to forge the family’s namesake wine label in 1991.
In its early days, the Farella vineyard was a fruit source for Robert Mondavi and Opus One. The Farella family and its vineyard’s success helped get the Coombsville AVA approved in 2011 (Tom wrote the application himself). And the label has established a distinctive track record for decidedly old-school Cabernet with super cellaring potential.
A lot has changed along the way, but nothing has been quite the same since April, when Frank Farella passed at age 95. And now the vineyard's fate is in limbo.
Member-Only Content
Premium SubscriptionJoin today and get immediate access to this article, and to our entire database of more than 450,000 wine ratings. It only takes moments—but it will help you drink better all year long.
Already a member? Sign In
Try Winespectator.com Free for 30 Days!
Full access to our database of more than 425,000 wine ratings
Early access to reviews on our editors' favorite just-rated wines
Wine and food pairing tool,
chefs' pairing recommendations
Best value wines and winery intel
Subscribe today
