Meet the Family Behind 1467 Cellars

Pictured here is Erik Ayala, winemaker and one of the many family members involved in this Napa winery's tight-night family initiative. 

Our insider conversation is with Erik's cousin, Noel Roldan. Noel handles sales and tastings for his tight-knit family’s winery, 1467 Cellars. It’s a newer project involving three generations in Napa. We’ll talk about making approachable Cabernet, the warmth of Mexican hospitality, and the meaning of their emblem – a door.

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Let’s start with telling us how you’re related to the winemaker.

Everyone within 1467 Cellars is part of the family. The head winemaker, Erik Ayala, is my cousin. The way the name ‘1467 Cellars’ came about is: that number is my grandparents' home address in Napa. My family migrated from Mexico to Napa Valley, and that’s the home my grandparents, Juan and Teresa Roldan, settled in. And it is the home where my dad and his siblings grew up. It's the house where me and my cousins, and my brother – there's 13 grandkids – we grew up there. We spent our summers there. And it's the home that every single holiday is spent at.

The door that is on our logo is our grandparents' front door, and it’s the same door that's been on the house since day one.

So nice – the heart of the family. Who started the winery?

1467 Cellars was founded by my father, Vicente, and his brothers Juan and Enrique, and brother-in-law Ruben. A lot of us work in the wine industry, and we decided to put our skills together and do something for us. 

Our first vintage was in 2021, starting with just the Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2022, we expanded to Pinot Noir. And then in ‘23, we added Sauvignon Blanc. So we only do the three varietals. And it's very small production: six barrels of each.

Wow, truly boutique.

Yes, it’s the family passion project. Everyone at 1467 also has their full-time job. We make the time for this because we love what we're doing, and want to make sure that we're running 1467 correctly – and we enjoy getting to make the wine ourselves and all that fun stuff.

Do you plan to get bigger?

So we do want to keep it boutique, and maybe in the next five or six years – depending on how the wine industry goes – add one more wine and possibly grow to a thousand cases.

Still very small. Our members are adventurous – they like trying new things – and take pride in supporting independent businesses. Is there anything in particular you enjoy about being part of a small, family winery?

It's great. Of course, we don't have the budget of the more well-known wineries I’ve worked for. A lot of us in the family currently work for other high-end wineries – whether it's in production, marketing, finance, sales. But it feels good to be able to put our brains together and come up with our own ideas. It's also much nicer knowing it's our product, our story, start to finish.

What would you say is the core philosophy of 1467?

The main idea is making great small-batch wines – the best that we can – but also making it a fun brand. It’s for serious wine drinkers, but it’s also for people who are just barely getting into wine. My cousin, the winemaker, the goal that we gave him was to produce wines that anyone can enjoy. Wines that are approachable right off the bat, because we don't want wines that people have to let sit for five to eight to ten years before they open them. So far, a lot of our customers have been truly enjoying these wines and drinking them already, because they're ready to go. Let's pop the cork and have some fun!

We’re looking forward to sending members of The California Wine Club your delicious 2022 Atlas Peak Cabernet. What did you do in terms of oak to ensure earlier approachability?

It was in French oak – 50% new – for 14 months.

The sweet spot. How long can it be cellared if our collectors want to lay some down?

It's ready to drink now, but you could definitely hold it for seven more years. 

Where do you make the wines?

Erik is on the winemaking team at Pride Mountain Vineyards [as a viticulture and production assistant] and we first started making our wine there. And now we make our wine at a custom crush facility in downtown Napa.

What else would you say about Erik’s style? He’s been with Pride Mountain for about a decade, and was at Far Niente before that?

Yes, and because he’s worked for Pride for quite a few years, and they've allowed him to make the blends for Premier Napa Valley and Auction Napa Valley, we wanted him to apply those talents in taking on our own wines. We want a really well balanced structure and feel. So it's not going to be a wine that's very light, but it's also not going to be a wine that – excuse me – just punches you in the face with tannins. 

Where on Atlas Peak did the fruit come from?

It came from the Gloria family’s vineyard. They’re Erik’s friends. It sits at about 1,370 feet. So, very cool mornings and very cool evenings, but hot during the day. Our Pinot comes from the Colessa Vineyard – we have a contract with them and we're trying to renew it.

The 2022 growing season was tricky for a lot of producers. A longer-than-usual heat wave in September forced a choice between picking early, and embracing the heat and waiting. 

We ended up harvesting in October – so later – which worked with our more approachable style.

How do 1467 wines usually find their way into people’s hands?

Typically, through tastings we host, and we are also in select restaurants throughout Napa and in the Bay Area. Show de Carnes Steakhouse – they have locations in Palo Alto, Sausalito, and Saratoga – have been with us since the beginning, and they have 1467 by the glass.

Where do you host tastings? 

Every experience is a private experience. We are able to book at our custom crush facility, or in another area downtown called the Napa Valley Car Club. 

Cool, mysterious, off the beaten path!

Yes! We'd love to have your members visit us, that's for sure. When they email us through the contact page on our website, it goes directly to me. One to two weeks' notice is helpful. 

Your family’s Mexican heritage seems like a strong foundation for hospitality. Do you see a connection there?

One hundred percent. I mean, we were all raised that way: treat everybody like your friend or your family, make sure everyone is treated well. And we're always going to want to give the best experience to anyone who comes and tries our wine, because there are so many tasting rooms and so many wineries that people can visit during their time here in Napa. So we're very thankful and appreciative of them spending their time with us. 

What makes it really hospitable is you’re going to be hosted by a family member – one of the grandkids or one of the founders. There's no one from the outside involved. That makes it even more special.

It’s wonderful that you still have your grandparents. 

My grandpa has always lived by “a bottle of Cabernet a day keeps the doctor away.” 

He came to the U.S. through the Bracero agricultural program?

Yes, my grandparents were from the same town in Mexico, and they married there, and then he came over during the Bracero program. He started in vineyards, and then he actually spent a lot of his time in construction, and also went on to train race horses. They had four kids.

What does your grandpa think of the wine? 

He loves it. He loves that he gets access to it. He's very happy, and his goal was always to see a family business, and we were able to accomplish that – so that’s been pretty awesome.

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To find our favorite 1467 Cellars wines, visit our Wine Store. Shipping is free with any mix of 12 bottles.

Coming to Napa? Be sure to let us know so we can arrange a visit and tasting with the 1467 Cellars family.