Frank Romeo didn’t intend to become a vintner when he purchased his 40-acre Calistoga property in 1996. He was simply seeking a weekend getaway—a relaxing spot to escape from his weekday job as proprietor of Romeo Packing Company in Half Moon Bay, a fertilizer manufacturer. But what began as a bucolic retreat location quickly became a full-fledged winery. “I was just looking for a property to get away from it all,” said Frank. “And I fell in love with this old, beat-up vineyard filled with phylloxera.”
He and his late wife Eugenia nursed the vineyard—notable for its 1971-planted old vine Cabernet—back to health by replanting the entire vineyard with Bordeaux-style clones. Soon after, they released their inaugural 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, marking the beginning of Romeo Cellars’ commitment to crafting exceptional Napa wines. The winery’s annual production—under the title Sempre Vive (Latin for “always alive”) currently includes up to 4,000 cases of red wine (Cabernet, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec) and up to 1000 of white (Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.)
The red grapes are all grown within the Sterling-adjacent Calistoga vineyard, and the white grapes he purchases from other Napa and North Coast vineyards. The Sempre Vive name is derived from Frank’s cloning of his old vines—with the help of the University of California, Davis—in order to create his own Romeo clone. André Tchelistcheff-trained Alison Green-Doran, one of the first female winemakers in California and lauded for her expertise, has led the winemaking team since 2003. Particularly notable is Romeo wines’ extremely reasonable pricing, considering the vineyards’ pedigree and the winemaker.
Downtown Calistoga is where you’ll find the charming Romeo tasting room. Located within a lovingly restored 19th-century carriage house shaded by majestic Redwoods and surrounded by colorful blooms, the environment is warm and welcoming. Unlike many Napa tasting rooms, Romeo offers expansive outdoor seating amongst fountains and water features, where guests can indulge in various tasting options via reservation or drop-in, including special offerings such as a library wine tasting or a Bordeaux varietals-only experience.
Warmer weekends bring live music (often by former Broadway stars who now make Calistoga their home) and oven-fired pizzas to the patio and tasting room, notable for its whimsical and bold series of Puccinello cartoons by Napa-based artist Carlo Marciori. The colorful murals humorously depict the hard work, joy, and occasional mishaps of the winemaking process, adding an amusing and rich visual layer to Romeo’s space.
“People really enjoy our place and its beautiful gardens,” said Frank. “I love people watching, and I’ve arranged the space so guests can watch the world go by. It’s fun and lively. We treat people well here, and we feel really good about the quality of our wines.”
Romeo wines can be found at a handful of Bay Area restaurants, the Calistoga tasting room, and can be ordered online.
