Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Lieff Vineyards is a new name in wine in Napa Valley, but it's a familiar name nevertheless.

Long a sponsor of KQED's Perspectives, Lieff Cabraser Heim ann & Bernstein in San Francisco is a world-famous plaintiff's law firm, one that won such landmark cases as the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Microsoft's monopolistic practices, for Holocaust victims and against tobacco companies.

Robert Lieff was a partner with Melvin Belli before 1972.

Lieff and his wife Gretchen, a former KGO newscaster and Internet entrepreneur, own the 22-acre Lieff Vineyards Auberge Road property above Auberge du Soleil east of Rutherford where they have three acres of grapes on the rugged slopes, and are planting two more.

From this small area, they produce about 300 cases of superb Lieff Auberge Road Cabernet Sauvignon, which they sell at a bargain $50 per bottle; it easily compares with wines costing twice as much and more.

Robert Lieff is no newcomer to Napa Valley and wine, however. He represented Doug Stelling, whose family owned 4,000 acres including what is now Far Niente. Lieff was a founding partner in that winery with Stelling, planting 60 acres of vines and handling the sale of 12 acres to Robert Mondavi for his iconic winery in 1966. "He paid $5,000 per acre," remembers Lieff.

Lieff was also a founding partner in Vichon Winery on Oakville Grade, now Diamond Oaks.

He built a house near Bill Harlan's, but sold it in 1987, pulling out of the valley for a bit before he bou ght the Rutherford property in 1997. That Lieff Auberge Road Vineyard is located on steep rocky, volcanic slopes above Auberge du Soleil. The bottom two-acre block lies on Rutherford Hill Road across from Auberge and was planted in 1999. The upper two half-acre blocks were planted in 2001.

Lieff initially sold the grapes to neighbors Craig and Kathryn Hall, who made a Lieff Auberge Road Vineyard Cabernet until the Lieff started making wine under his name in 2004. He and Gretchen married three years ago.

The winemaker is long-time consultant Cary Gott, who makes the wine at The Ranch custom crush facility in St. Helena. It's surely one of the smallest wine brands made there, but Cary has an in: His son Joel Gott is a co-owner and president of the Ranch.

Lieff's vines are tended by one of the valley's top viticulturists, Jim Barber. Barber has his work cut out for him on the rocky, steep slopes, and Robert Lieff laments that planting the two new acres is costing about $300,000, though he's recouping a tiny bit by selling some of the excess rocks and boulders.

Not surprisingly, developing the site was challenging. It took two years to get all the permits, and Lieff had to hire a biologist, a forester, an expert in raptors, and a historian to ensure that there were no Indian ruins on the site, though the later seems unnecessary, for the Indians had enough sense to live in the welcoming valley, not on rugged hil lsides populated with bears and lions.

Of course, Lieff also had to hire the usual geologist and other experts in erosion.

To develop the new vineyard, the Lieffs had to clear two acres of native trees, which Gretchen admits created some conflict in their consciences, but they resolved it somewhat by placing 1,840 acres they own in San Luis Obispo near Santa Maria in the local Land Trust. They have 40 acres of grenache and syrah vines there, which they now sell to Bonny Doon and Robert Hall.

The Lieffs are also putting a conservation easement on their 22 acres in Rutherford and giving up their right to build a winery and a second house on the property, which are substantial values.

They do receive a tax benefit, but Gretchen says she finds a vineyard more exciting than a winery, anyway. "We're farmers at heart," says Robert, "not winemakers."

From the total of five acres, they will eventually make about 900 cases of Lieff Vineyards Cabernet. They also make cabernet and sauvignon blanc from grapes purchased from Round Pond Vineyards in Rutherford.

The Lieffs have a house in Montecito, but are giving up their place in San Francisco's Financial District to spend more time in Rutherford.

Their house is a striking but not large contemporary house designed by architect Scott Johnson of Johnson Fain, who also designed Opus One. It was built in 2001. From its patio and pool, the y enjoy magnificent views of Napa Valley.

They also have a guest house designed by famed architect Stanley Saitowitz.

Robert Lieff, who was inspired to become a lawyer serving plaintiffs by working as a cherry picker in Napa Valley in 1960, continues to work, but admits he doesn't go into the office much these days. He is quite involved in affairs for Columbia University, too.

Gretchen handles the wine marketing including making sales calls, but has too little wine to get too aggressive. They do have a Web site, www.lieffwines.com, and have solicited likely buyers of their wine.

– Paul Franson, The St. Helena Star

> View article