Over the 4th of July weekend in 1993, Napa Valley’s iconic Frank Family Vineyards first opened their winery doors. What initially began as a hobby for Founder Rich Frank has grown into not only a successful business but also a premier Napa Valley destination. Rich started vacationing in Napa Valley while he presided over the motion picture and television production at Disney Studios in the late 1980s. He quickly fell in love with the beauty of Napa Valley and purchased a charming 1930s Tudor-style home built on a hillside vineyard in the heart of Rutherford. This coveted piece of land would later become Winston Hill, the vineyard where Frank Family’s story began, inspiring Rich’s purchase of the historic Larkmead Winery and, eventually, more than 380 acres of some of the finest vineyards throughout Napa Valley.
Rich and Leslie Frank
As founders, Rich and his wife, Leslie, an Emmy Award-winning broadcast news journalist, were the original visionaries of Frank Family Vineyards. Their winemaker for the past 20 years, Todd Graff, has been along for the ride as well, and he’s played a critical role in making the Frank’s vision a reality by crafting elegant and balanced wines vintage after vintage.
With three decades of world-class winemaking and award-winning hospitality under their belts, Frank Family Vineyards plans to celebrate their loyal members and guests throughout 2023. “Our friends and fans are truly the ones who helped build this winery, and for that, we want to dedicate our 30th anniversary to them,” says Founder Leslie Frank. “This year is our chance to say, ‘thank you.”
From founder-hosted wine dinners across the country to 1,000 bottles of a commemorative 30th anniversary sparkling cuvée, Frank Family Vineyards has thought of everything to help fans celebrate this incredible milestone with them.
WINE DINNER SERIES
Some of the country’s best restaurants are lined up for a series of exquisite wine dinners, which is fitting since the Frank Family portfolio of wines is represented in some of the most popular high-end restaurants. The series kicked off in early July with an epic celebration at the Napa Valley-based winery, which featured live music, elevated food stations, and private library wine tastings inside the property’s stunning new Miller House. Rich and Leslie Frank head on the road this summer to host guests in the Hamptons and New York City before wrapping up with an elegant cocktail party in Las Vegas this fall. Visit www.FrankFamilyVineyards.com/Events for the complete event series dates and details.
A SPARKLING ANNIVERSARY
To honor the winery’s 30th anniversary, Frank Family Vineyards crafted a late disgorged sparkling rosé to commemorate the journey that began with Founders Rich and Leslie Frank three decades ago. Named Lady Edythe, in honor of their matriarch, Edythe Frank, this wine is worthy of being classified as a tête de cuvée, essentially the best of their best; and with only 1,000 bottles produced for this special occasion, this wine is all the more precious and rare.
The Frank Family Lady Edythe Brut Rosé comes from the standout 2015 vintage. It is a tribute to the winery’s sparkling wine legacy dating back to the late 1950s when their historic property was home to one of California’s earliest sparkling wine producers, Hanns Kornell Champagne Cellars. Decades later, Frank Family continues to honor the heritage of their iconic winery by handcrafting sparkling wines according to the méthode champenoise. This commemorative bottle is available for purchase at their Calistoga tasting room on Larkmead Lane and online at www.FrankFamilyVineyards.com/Wine.
