says Brian Fleury, and his boutique winery reflects that approach. A successful Bay Area businessman who brought his family to the Napa Valley fifteen years ago, he turned his passion for collecting fine wine into a passion for making it. Brian is a self-taught winemaker who learned the craft by hiring and working alongside various mentors. Clearly, he has learned well since his wines are in such great demand. Fleury Estate Winery now owns 50 acres spanning three vineyards in three appellations and at three elevations: Rutherford, St. Helena, and Howell Mountain. Its small Rutherford facility produces and sells out of 4,000 cases a year by winery sales alone, without the use of distributors.

Current releases include a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Red Blends, four Cabernet Sauvignons, Bordeaux Blends, and a Port. The Fleury flagship wine is "Passionne," a Bordeaux-style blend that is always the first to sell out.With its elegantly rustic feel, Fleury Estate Winery offers its guests an unusually intimate wine-tasting experience. "Every tasting done at this winery is in a private salon setting among the barrels," explains Brian. "No one leaves Fleury Estate Winery without being provided a barrel sample of our future releases."