Our History
Jeffrey and Elizabeth Phelan purchased the ranch in 2007. At the time it was a vacant, run down cattle ranch with dirt roads and dilapidated barns. Jeffrey and Elizabeth, with the help of their five children began a true labor of love to refurbish the property and develop the vineyard. After years of planning and preparation the first vines were planted in 2019.
1892-1918
Joseph Hager receives patent for land.
The earliest recorded information of the property started in 1892, when Joseph Hager, a German immigrant received a federal homestead patent for the land. He was recorded as a single farmer who periodically gave violin concerts at social engagements in nearby St. Helena.
1918-1921
St. Josephs Home and HospitaL
Hager retained possession of the property until April 1918 when he conveyed it to The St. Josephs Home and Hospital, a corporate extension of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. The home was associated with St. Josephs Agricultural Institution where destitute boys from the San Francisco Bay Area were trained in horticulture, viticulture, beekeeping, and dairying.
1921-1930
Emma Louise Pampell
In 1921 St. Josephs granted the homestead to Emma Louise Pampell. She was a single woman and San Fransico industrial worker who retained the property until her death in 1929. At this point her mother, Mary J. Freeman inherited the property only to die in August 1930.
1930-1955
Mary Loomis
The property became part of a court battle between siblings that lasted four years. At the end of the four year period, the sister of Emma Louise Pampell, Mary Loomis won the property at auction for $125. This was considered higher than its value at that time. She lived on the property until 1955 when she sold it to Ernest and Aline Frost.
1955-2007
The Frost family – Hennessey Ridge Community
The Frost family worked the property as a cattle ranch until they sold it in 2002 to the Barancik Land and Cattle Company. The property was then annexed into the Hennessey Ridge community and later purchased by the Phelan family.
2007-Present
In 2007, Jeffrey & Elizabeth Phelan took ownership of the old cattle ranch. Restoration began and the first vines were planted in 2019.
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Property
Phelan Ranch is located on Greeg Mountain within the Vaca Mountain Range on the eastern side of Napa Valley in St. Helena, California.
Our vineyard and olive groves thrive within an ecosystem that spans elevations of 600 to 1,818 feet. With sweeping views that extend over Lake Hennessey, the varied elevations at Phelan Ranch not only contribute to the quality of our grapes and olives but also shape the overall biodiversity of our ecosystem. Phelan Ranch is a testament to the harmonious balance between altitude and climate.
Ranch Animals
Our livestock at Phelan Ranch help bring the stability between nature and viticulture that enrich the very sole of the ranch.
The goats and sheep are entrusted as caretakers of the land. They are not just inhabitants but invaluable partners in sustainable agriculture. They naturally manage the brush and weeds which provides fire prevention with a gentle touch to the ecosystem and promoting soil health.
Our loyal dogs stand as watchful protectors, safeguarding our vines and livestock. Their presence embodies a living testament to our dedication to an environmentally conscious approach to farming.
Phelan Ranch is a place where the land speaks and everything in the vineyard listens. Spanning elevations from 600 to 1,818 feet, the ranch sits above the fog line where cool, marine-layer mornings give way to long, sun-filled afternoons and constant winds across the vines. It’s a setting that shapes the soul of the vineyard, and it starts from the ground up.
Chert defines the soils of Phelan Ranch. It is an uncommon, silica rich rock found on this site. It forms in thin, ribbon-like layers that reveal vivid streaks of red, gold and green, giving the vineyard its striking identity. They’re tough, unforgiving, and exactly what the vines need. These rocky layers force the roots to dig deep, delivering fruit with incredible concentration, minerality, and adversity.
This is a living ecosystem that is active, balanced, and thoughtfully managed. Goats move through the steep hillsides, clearing brush and helping reduce fire risk. Sheep graze between the vineyard rows, naturally managing weeds. Their manure is farmed back into the vineyards to enrich the soil, closing the loop in a regenerative cycle that supports the vineyard without compromise.
At Phelan Ranch, farming isn’t about control, it’s about collaboration. The animals, the soil, the vines, the wind, the rain, and the sunlight all work together in rhythm with the land. It’s a system built on intention, sustainability, and a deep respect for what this site gives back.
