Calistoga Wine Festival

Dear Friends of Calistoga:

At the northern edge of Napa Valley, where volcanic soils meet mountain air and time moves with intention, Calistoga has long produced wines of character, depth, and quiet authority. Today, that legacy takes a meaningful new step forward.

We are proud to announce the Calistoga AVA Professional Wine Competition on July 15th, taking place alongside the inaugural Calistoga Wine Festival on August 15th—a landmark event dedicated exclusively to the wines of the Calistoga American Viticultural Area (AVA).

This professional competition is designed to honor excellence, authenticity, and place. Wines will be evaluated on merit alone, celebrating those that most clearly and compellingly express the Calistoga AVA—its soils, climate, and craftsmanship. The goal is simple and timeless: to let the wines speak for themselves.

The inspiration for this event draws, in part, from a historic moment exactly fifty years ago, when a 1976 blind tasting in Paris changed the global wine conversation and helped put Napa Valley on the world map. One of the wines that made history came from Calistoga (Chateau Montelena, Croatian – American winemaker Mike Grigich). Today, that spirit of honest evaluation and confidence in place comes home.

The Calistoga Wine Festival (CWF) will bring together local winemakers, restaurateurs, businesses, and wine lovers to experience the diversity and distinction of this remarkable region through tastings, celebrations, and community.

This is also a charitable community event, with proceeds benefiting UpValley Family Centers, which support individuals and families in northern Napa County—including Calistoga and St. Helena—who face economic and social challenges.

We invite you to be part of this groundbreaking event- Calistoga Wine Festival– as a local winery, restaurant, business, or wine lover and help write the next chapter of Calistoga wine history. Let me know if you have any questions.

Warm regards,
Len (Lenny) Tolstunov,                                                                                                           WSET3, Founder, Calistoga Wine Society, Calistoga Wine Festival                        [email protected]