What’s a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialist doing holed up in an old hunting cabin along Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail? Is it infiltration into enemy territory? An effort to provide visitors with palate cleansers between big Napa Cabs? There’s no need to question Failla’s motivation — just sit back and enjoy their beautifully made, cool-climate wines.
The story
Founder and winemaker Ehren Jordan, a Pittsburgh native, didn’t grow up in a wine-drinking family. His vinous path began unexpectedly during his college years at George Washington University in D.C., where he studied art history and took a job stocking shelves at a wine-and-spirits shop — mainly for the beer discounts. That gig led to a post-graduation role with a Denver wine distributor, and later to Il Poggio restaurant in Aspen. His enthusiasm for wine quickly propelled him to the position of restaurant manager and wine buyer.
A nudge from an Aspen friend steered Jordan toward a summer job as a tour guide at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, where he soon worked his way into the cellar. Looking to deepen his production skills, he then headed to France’s Rhône Valley to work with renowned winemaker Jean-Luc Columbo.
When Jordan returned to California in 1994, his former Phelps boss, Bruce Neyers, tapped him to be the founding winemaker at Neyers Vineyards. Though Jordan worked for free, he received a stake in the business. He also did side work for Helen Turley and bonded with her brother, Larry, who recruited Jordan to lead winemaking at Turley Wine Cellars in 1996. Around the same time, Jordan purchased a Sonoma Coast property near Cazadero and planted it to Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
In 1998, Jordan and his wife Anne-Marie Failla (pronounced FAY-lah) launched their own label — initially called Failla-Jordan — focused on cool-climate wines. Jordan sold his stake in Neyers in 2003 to build a winery in St. Helena, just a five-minute drive from Turley, where he originally made the Failla wines, and near his home in Calistoga. The tasting room opened in 2010.
The vibe
The Failla tasting room is set inside a cozy cabin built in 1920, previously owned by Napa Valley chef Cindy Pawlcyn, of Mustard’s fame. The place is cozy and homey, with knotted-wood walls and ceilings, and a stone hearth decorated with antlers. Tastings take place in a couple of living room seating areas (if you’d like a pretty view of a Zinfandel vineyard, request a spot near the front window). There’s also casual outdoor seating on the front porch and in Adirondack chairs under some redwoods on the front lawn.
On the palate
Though Jordan tends to stick with a handful of grape varieties, he loves to experiment with different site expressions based on climates and soil types. His winemaking vessels of choice tend to be egg-shaped concrete fermenters and neutral oak, so fruit and place take the lead.
The 2023 Jurassic Park Chenin Blanc from Santa Ynez Valley ($45), fermented in concrete, is a crisp and lovely wine with lively acidity and notes of green apple and citrus. The 2023 Olivia Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($48) has fresh, lemony aromas and tropical fruit flavors. With bright aromas of red fruits — think raspberries — the 2023 Lola Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($48) is a juicy wine with a medium body and pencil shaving notes.
Tastings range from $65 for a seated tasting in the lodge to $90 for a cave tasting to $150 for a library tasting of selections from the winery’s private cellar, with vintages dating back to 1998.
Beyond the bottle
If you haven’t yet made it to the Julia Child exhibit at the Napa Valley Museum of Arts & Culture — also known as “The MAC” — you still have until March 2026 to check it out. The playful, interactive showing even includes faux simmering pots that exude simulated aromas from Julia’s signature recipes when you lift the lids.
Failla Wines is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily by appointment. 3530 Silverado Trail N., St. Helena, 707-963-0530, faillawines.com
Tina Caputo is a wine, food, and travel journalist who contributes to Sonoma magazine, SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, Northern California Public Media, KQED, and more. Follow her on Bluesky at @winebroad.bsky.social, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.