Month: November 2024

Padis Vineyards is located in the picturesque hillsides of the Oak Knoll District in the heart of Napa Valley. It was founded by jewelers Steve and Judy Padis with a single barrel in 2007 that was bottled in large format and donated to charity auctions. A year later, their first commercial vintage was released.

Both Steve and Judy hail from the East Bay. Steve’s journey into wine began in the 1970s, guided by Judy’s family, who appreciated both fine wine and cuisine. Their growing interest in wine took them from the Central Coast to the Napa Valley, where they witnessed the nascent wine industry firsthand. It was during these visits that Steve’s passion for wine deepened, eventually leading to the purchase of property in the Oak Knoll District.

Initially, the Padis’  sold their grapes to local wineries. However, today, Padis Vineyards produces approximately 2,000 cases of wine annually.

Steve Padis began his jewelry career during his senior year at UC Berkeley in the early 1974 as a street vendor, stringing together Puka shells  and various beads into bracelets and other wearable items – selling these along Telegraph Ave. in Berkeley for a few dollars per item. Very hipster of him! By the time he graduated, in 1975, he had begun to deal in precious metals and diamonds. The business that evolved from those humble beginnings is a remarkable success story.  Over the following fifty years, their jewelry business, Padis Gems, has grown to three stores in San Francisco and a store in downtown Napa that also doubles as the Padis tasting room. Continue reading “Padis Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2016”