History

In 1994, John and Ellen Benish purchased a 42 acre parcel of land in the Napa Valley which included a winery and vineyards with the idea of making a little bit of Italian-inspired wine and establishing a legacy for their children and grandchildren.

The Benish's passion for winemaking and grape growing stemmed from a family vacation to Europe in the 1980's. There, in the countryside they saw the tradition of winemaking and grape growing which allowed ties from generation to generation to perpetuate an element of quality and tradition. Later in the decade, they visited the famed Napa Valley, California's answer to European winemaking tradition, and after experiencing the lifestyle, decided to establish roots in the winegrowing community. After a year-long search for the perfect winery & vineyards property, they found one located in the Northern part of St. Helena, the heart of wine country.

Benessere is Italian for ‘well-being’ or ‘prosperity,’ and the Benishes named the winery to describe the feeling of life in the Napa Valley. They then restored the older estate winery and vineyards into a modern working winery with 34 planted acres of pristine vineyards and a comfortable estate home.

John Benish's background is in establishing one of the most successful school bussing businesses in the country. The Cook-Illinois corporation owns the oldest operating bus company in North America. Ellen Benish is a descendant of several generations of Chicagoans. Together with John, she helped build the company and raise five children, who they hope to pass on the legacy of both businesses. This tradition and heritage is what Benessere aspires to provide, while producing small production lots of the highest quality wine possible.

The parcel of land where we are located has a rich history in the Napa Valley. The Wappo Indian tribe produced spear and arrowheads and tools, and used the land for hunting and fishing, over 100 years ago. The remnants of obsidian arrowheads, mined from nearby Glass Mountain are still evident in the soil around the property. In the 1940's, the property was first changed from grazing and wildlands to form a dairy farm. In the 1960's, it was sold to a thoroughbred horse rancher. Horseshoes are found occasionally where the practice track was located. The rancher sold the property to a banker in the late '70's, which is when it first became a winery and vineyard property. That first winery lasted until 1990, when the owners fell on hard times and went out of business. For almost four years, the land lay idle and for sale in bankruptcy court. Then, finally on October 28, 1994, John and Ellen Benish purchased the property for redevelopment and production of premium wines. 

Chris Dearden was hired as the General Manager and Winemaker in October of 1995. The development of the vineyard and winery were discussed, and due to the terroir and feasibility of planting Sangiovese, and a prevailing desire of consumers to try wines other than Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Sangiovese was chosen to be the initial grape of choice to plant and produce as a varietal wine. The great Italian heritage in Napa Valley, and the on-going popularity of Italian wines and restaurants also contributed to this decision.

At almost the same time, we were introduced to our internationally renowned Italian consultants, Alberto Antonini and Attilio Pagli, who deemed the land “perfect” for growing the prized Italian varietal. The soil at Benessere, clay-loam with gravelly bands, combined with the region’s climate, are perfect for growing Sangiovese and many other varietals. The soil allows for good drainage and the climate is very similar to that in Tuscany. 

We started harvesting our first crops from the estate in 1998. Our estate vineyards continued to evolve as we additionally planted Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sagrantino, Trebbiano and  Muscat di Canelli.

In 1999, we also expanded our selection of varietal wines to include a Pinot Grigio. Now each year we produce a Pinot Grigio vintage from grapes grown in two vineyards on the Napa side of Carneros, the coolest region in the Napa Valley, which is more appropriate for this cooler climate varietal. 

Today, Benessere remains committed to combining the best of tradition honed over centuries with the highest standards of modern technology and ambition, and is proud to be one of only a handful of family winery producers in California with a specialized focus on Italian-inspired wines.

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