Laurel Glen Vineyards

Originally planted with mixed red varietals by German immigrants in the late 19th century, the vineyard was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1968 by Carmen Taylor—just before the modern rise of California wine. Her grapes were initially sold to Chateau St. Jean and later formed the backbone of Kenwood’s renowned Artist Series. In 1977, Taylor sold the property to Patrick Campbell, who became a pioneering figure in Northern California winemaking. Campbell expanded the vineyard using cuttings from Taylor’s original three acres of Cabernet, grafting them onto St. George rootstock to grow the estate to 14 acres. In time, he discovered that the Cabernet clone he inherited was genetically unique. It was later certified as the Laurel Glen clone by UC Davis. Today, the vineyard is planted exclusively to this distinctive clone, ideally suited to the cooler microclimate of the Sonoma Mountain AVA.