Casa Piena - Policy Estate Vineyard, Yountville Appellation

Carmen Policy
Policy’s fingerprints are all over the modern pro football business

Carmen Policy is recognized by Sports Business Journal as part of its Champions 2025 class, honoring his lasting influence on the business of professional football. Over a career spanning decades, Policy played a central role in shaping the modern NFL, serving as CEO of both the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns, and acting as a trusted advisor in league governance, expansion, and ownership matters. Known for his strategic thinking, negotiation skills, and ability to navigate complex relationships, he became one of the most respected non-owner figures in the league.

The feature traces his path from his early years in Youngstown, Ohio, through his legal career and rise within the 49ers organization during one of the most successful periods in franchise history. It highlights his involvement in major league decisions, his reputation among owners and executives, and the role he played behind the scenes in shaping key moments in NFL history.

In 2003, Policy and his wife Gail returned to California and founded Casa Piena in Napa Valley, producing limited quantities of high-end Cabernet Sauvignon. What began as a personal passion for wine evolved into a boutique label known for its quality and exclusivity. The article connects this chapter to a broader theme in Policy’s life, blending business, relationships, and a long-standing appreciation for craftsmanship and hospitality.

Today, Policy’s legacy extends beyond football, reflecting a career defined not only by championships and executive leadership, but also by mentorship, influence, and a continued presence in both the sports and wine worlds.

2023 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking window: 2025 - 2035

Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023Cabernet Sauvignon Estate shows very varietal aromatics of black fruits, sappy tobacco, black olive, iron, and damp violet with floral notes. Rich and medium to full-bodied on the palate, it's round and balanced, has polished tannins, and is just a pure joy to drink. It's hands down the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted and should drink well for 8-10years.  — Jeb Dunnuck

2018 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking window: 2024 - 2033

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from Casa Piena is done in a very different style from the past. The combination of a cooler vintage and picking at lower sugars yields a vibrant, energetic Cabernet Sauvignon. Floral and savory notes give the 2018 a striking aromatic top register to play off the red-toned fruit. This silky, mid-weight Cabernet represents a pretty big stylistic departure. I hope to have a chance to revisit the 2018 in a number of years to see how it has aged. Readers will find a Cabernet of grace and finesse.  — Antonio Galloni

Napa Valley, CA (July 17, 2019) - Pulido~Walker proprietors Mark Pulido and Donna Walker recently deepened their commitment to the Napa Valley with the purchase of Carmen and Gail Policy’s Yountville Estate including the Policy Vineyard. This historic property’s residence, designed by esteemed architect Howard Backen, will be Mark and Donna’s new family home; their Mt. Veeder house was destroyed by the 2017 Napa Valley fires.

“This is a major milestone in our patient pursuit of the possible,” said Mark. “We’re so pleased that the Policy family is entrusting us with this Napa Valley legacy.” The sale closed July 15; financial details for this off-market, private transaction will not be disclosed. Sean Maher, Aspect Consumer Partners and Henry Schlangen, Terra Firma Global Partners acted as financial advisors and handled the negotiations.

“We have known Mark and Donna for approximately 12 years and have come to revere them and their son as family friends. Based upon Thomas River Brown’s reputation and accomplishments, it is no coincidence that we both have him as our wine maker. He is intricately involved in supporting each of our winery productions and business operations,” said Carmen Policy.

Part of this mutually beneficial transaction provides that Thomas will continue selecting the perfect grapes for Casa Piena, Carmen’s highly respected wine brand, from the estate, ensuring the continued tradition of excellence established with the first vintage in 2006.  Casa Piena wines will continue to be classified as Estate Grown due to the long-term arrangement for the grapes. “There will be no interruption or even a wrinkle in our wine business operation. This new arrangement and the continuity of team members will facilitate an expansion of creative involvement that benefits both families and businesses. We view this arrangement as a new chapter in the Casa Piena story that will be a special addition to our family library which will sit alongside the classic volumes that now exists,” commented Carmen.

The Policy Vineyard increases Pulido~Walker’s single vineyard designate Cabernet Sauvignon wine offerings to four remarkable sites – Mt. Veeder Estate Vineyard, Melanson Vineyard on Pritchard Hill, Panek Vineyard and the Policy Vineyard. This addition brings Pulido~Walker’s Napa Valley owned holdings to 25 planted acres of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Mt. Veeder Estate and Policy Vineyard.

The property is tucked behind and nestled at the base of one of the few valley floor knolls and is part of Napa Valley’s storied history.  First owned by the Lincoln family from 1877 to 1966, it was then transferred to Rose Mondavi.  The Policy’s acquired the land from her family in 2003, building the estate and planting the vineyard. Award-winning winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown will continue to oversee all wine making operations for both families’ highly acclaimed wines.

“We had originally hoped to rebuild after the devastating fires,” said Donna.  “But after more than 18 months of work, we realized the insurance environment and construction market didn’t support our original plan.  Once we discovered the magical Policy family home, our decision was fast.” Pulido~Walker’s Mt. Veeder property is now dedicated to single vineyard designate Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Donna and Mark first moved to Napa Valley in the 1990’s and purchased the Mt. Veeder property in 2006.

Mark Pulido and Donna Walker grew up in pharmacy families, and this early common experience is integral to the Pulido~Walker philosophy. Their scientific backgrounds make Mark and Donna precise, inquisitive and analytical; they know that perseverance and long-term attention to detail yield exceptional results worth waiting for. 

Pulido~Walker’s wine label is inscribed with an ancient apothecary weight bearing the seasonal symbols of alchemy. This Old-World instrument of precise measure expresses the family’s ardent determination to craft extraordinary wine authentic to its unique terroir.

 

For more about Pulido~Walker, please visit: http://pulidowalker.com/.

For more about Casa Piena, please visit: http://casapiena.com/.

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Media contact:  Judy Rowcliffe – 415-456-4131/415-606-4355 - jlrowcliffe@comcast.net

 

2016 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
Drinking window: 2020 - 2031

Casa Piena's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon has turned out beautifully. I can't remember tasting a vintage of Casa Piena with this much finesse, nuance and pure class. Silky tannins let the fruit shine in this delicious, compelling Cabernet from Carmen Policy and Casa Piena. The 2016 is not especially complex, but it scores very high on the pleasure scale.

 — Antonio Galloni

The Midas Touch of Thomas Rivers Brown.
Over two decades, this self-taught winemaker has made an indelible impact on California wine.
by James Laube

"...Brown’s high-profile clients include former NFL executive Carmen Policy (right), owner of Casa Piena, a Cabernet Sauvignon specialist based in Napa's Yountville district for whom Brown has made seven outstanding wines among nine vintages..."

2014 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is slightly darker, creamier and richer than the 2013 tasted alongside it. Dark red cherry, purplish stone fruit, lavender, pine and mint add aromatic lift throughout. The 2014 is a gorgeous Casa Piena that will drink well pretty much upon release, as the suave silky tannins make the wine virtually impossible to resist, even in its youth.  — Antonio Galloni

Drinking Window: 2019 - 2029

 

2013 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Casa Piena is just as impressive as it has always been. Rich, ample and powerful, the 2013 exudes class. Sweet tobacco, herbs, menthol and licorice wrap around a core of intense red fruit. The flavors are bright, vibrant and intense throughout, but my sense is that the 2014 is still improving. This is a terrific showing from Casa Piena and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.   — Antonio Galloni

Drinking Window: 2018 - 2030

 

The New York Times
By Ken Nelson

Beer and football may go together like wine and cheese. But lately more and more people seem be favoring a Bordeaux over a Bud Light. Wine has made inroads into football stadiums and living rooms across the United States on Sundays....

... Then there is Carmen Policy, the longtime executive of the 49ers during their glory years in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the Cleveland Browns. About 15 years ago, he and his wife bought a 14-acre plot in Napa Valley and hired an architect and a vineyard manager. They set about growing cabernet grapes in 2003. 

Issue #221, October, 2015
Coming from a vineyard in the Yountville region near the Kapcsandy estate, this wine is a beauty. A vivid expression of black-fruited Cabernet Sauvignon with terrific purity, a multi-dimensional mouthfeel, an opaque purple color and full-bodied power, the tannins are sweet and the wine large-scaled, rich, pure and well-balanced. Give it another 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.|
— Robert Parker

by Dave Nelson, Wine Travel Adventure

“Up here, I have the time to actually listen to what people have to say. I never knew I was capable of that. I’ve learned more here, kicking back, than I did when I was right there in the middle of everything.”

I should clarify the geography. “Up here” refers to Yountville in the Napa Valley. The “middle of everything” is where Carmen Policy has always managed to be.

Click Here For The Full Article

 

2012 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon from Casa Piena races across the palate with gorgeous texture and voluptuousness. Sweet tobacco, dark red/black stone fruits, smoke, spice, savory herbs and blood orange meld together in an exotic, racy Cabernet Sauvignon that captures the immediacy of the year to the fullest. With time in the glass the 2012 gains energy and focus yet the style is all about intensity and opulence.

— Antonio Galloni

Casa Piena is another small estate that is continuing to step up quality. The property is owned by Carmen Policy, while Thomas Rivers-Brown makes the wines. Tasted from barrel, Casa Piena’s 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon offers plenty of potential in a layered, opulent style. The wines off this site have always showed quite a bit of character and personality, which is remarkable considering that in 2013 the vines were just ten years old.

— Antonio Galloni

Our amazing winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown has great thoughts on the 2014 Vintage. What perfect timing for this shoot, they had just drained our favorite clone from the Policy Vineyard, clone 7 from tank!

by Angella Sprauve, HAUTE LIVING, Day in the Life

Constant competition used to be a way of life for Carmen Policy. The former CEO of the San Francisco 49ers is responsible for one of the greatest eras of football in the Bay Area, taking the team to five Super Bowl Championships in 1981, 1984, 1989, 1990, and 1994. Any and every football-loving San Franciscan sings Policy’s praises. He is endearing, disarming and a world-class gentleman who shares a special connection with the city of San Francisco.

Today, Policy spends the majority of his time in Napa Valley, but he isn’t entirely removed from the city. He is a part-time dweller of the Four Seasons Hotel and of course, he still loves, follows and participates, to some degree, in his beloved sport. But life has taken a most satisfying, and more settled, turn for Policy since indulging in  his other lifelong passion: wine.  As the founder of Casa Piena, Policy, alongside wife Gail, is a hands-on vintner who has been producing exceptional and vibrant Cabernets at his Yountville vineyard since 2006. Last year, Policy earned yet another coveted honor: he and Gail were named the Chairs of the Live Auction Committee of Auction Napa Valley 2014. Days before the Napa Wine Auction, Policy sat down with Haute Living to give us a detailed account a day in his life preparing for Napa’s most significant event of the year.

6 a.m. I generally get up on my own when I wake up in Napa Valley. I almost never have to set an alarm; the only time I do is when I have a really early appointment and want to make sure I’m up at a certain hour so that I can get things done. The moment I get up, a cup of coffee is made and I hit the computer. I first check through all my emails that came in from the night before; I try to deal with those as quickly as I possibly can. Then I prioritize what I should deal with. I always try to get news and sports clips read or scanned as soon as I can so I start the day knowing what has occurred. I then follow through with some of the items that are on some of the websites that I check out. I’d say that I’m at the computer about an hour and a half and have three cups of coffee after I wake up.

7:30 a.m. I start going about my day. That might be meetings that relate to the wine business or meetings that relate to community matters. I’m on the Board at UCSF and I chair a committee for UCSF’s Foundation board, so I’m on the phone handling some meetings and doing other things in connection with that.

9 a.m. I take care of the maintenance aspect of the house.  Our property is spread out and there are four buildings on our property, so I make sure I supervise that. The vineyard is fun to walk in the morning and I’ll go out and usually meet with the foreman or one of the partners on our site. They’ll just tell me what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.  There are times when I meet with them much earlier, like during harvest, when I’m meeting with them at 6:30 a.m. Then I engage in the process of working with our marketing and sales person and some of the people who are helping me in the wine business, which include our winemaker and his staff and our vineyard manager and his staff. If you’re in the wine business, you’re in the people business, so you’re out dealing with restaurants, hotels, you’ve having lunch and you’re tasting wine.

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. I’ve had a lot going on relative to Auction Napa Valley 2014. My wife Gail and I have been asked to participate in Auction Napa Valley as the Chairs of the Live Auction Committee. The live auction is the sparkle and zest of Auction Napa Valley. That’s when everything comes together at the great luncheon at Meadowood.  This year we’re going to have 50 lots, and they include everything from trips to London with a dinner and viewing of the Royal Jewels of the British Monarchy to a couple of trips to France with a phenomenal exposure to Bordeaux, Burgundy, great chateaus and great wine tasting. There also are many exciting excursions to Asia. Domaine Chandon and Newton Vineyard are putting together what I call the “Indiana Jones” type lot. You’re flying into inland China and you’re going to be part of the experience of the Chandon—Newton winery project in China. It’s wild! There’s going to be a restaurant tour of Shanghai with Formula One interaction. Naoko Dalla Valle will be escorting people to Tokyo and Japan. It’s just wonderful dealing with all of these people.

Constant competition used to be a way of life for Carmen Policy. The former CEO of the San Francisco 49ers is responsible for one of the greatest eras of football in the Bay Area, taking the team to five Super Bowl Championships in 1981, 1984, 1989, 1990, and 1994. Any and every football-loving San Franciscan sings Policy’s praises. He is endearing, disarming and a world-class gentleman who shares a special connection with the city of San Francisco.

Today, Policy spends the majority of his time in Napa Valley, but he isn’t entirely removed from the city. He is a part-time dweller of the Four Seasons Hotel and of course, he still loves, follows and participates, to some degree, in his beloved sport. But life has taken a most satisfying, and more settled, turn for Policy since indulging in  his other lifelong passion: wine.  As the founder of Casa Piena, Policy, alongside wife Gail, is a hands-on vintner who has been producing exceptional and vibrant Cabernets at his Yountville vineyard since 2006. Last year, Policy earned yet another coveted honor: he and Gail were named the Chairs of the Live Auction Committee of Auction Napa Valley 2014. Days before the Napa Wine Auction, Policy sat down with Haute Living to give us a detailed account a day in his life preparing for Napa’s most significant event of the year.

6 a.m. I generally get up on my own when I wake up in Napa Valley. I almost never have to set an alarm; the only time I do is when I have a really early appointment and want to make sure I’m up at a certain hour so that I can get things done. The moment I get up, a cup of coffee is made and I hit the computer. I first check through all my emails that came in from the night before; I try to deal with those as quickly as I possibly can. Then I prioritize what I should deal with. I always try to get news and sports clips read or scanned as soon as I can so I start the day knowing what has occurred. I then follow through with some of the items that are on some of the websites that I check out. I’d say that I’m at the computer about an hour and a half and have three cups of coffee after I wake up.

7:30 a.m. I start going about my day. That might be meetings that relate to the wine business or meetings that relate to community matters. I’m on the Board at UCSF and I chair a committee for UCSF’s Foundation board, so I’m on the phone handling some meetings and doing other things in connection with that.

9 a.m. I take care of the maintenance aspect of the house.  Our property is spread out and there are four buildings on our property, so I make sure I supervise that. The vineyard is fun to walk in the morning and I’ll go out and usually meet with the foreman or one of the partners on our site. They’ll just tell me what they’re doing and why they’re doing it.  There are times when I meet with them much earlier, like during harvest, when I’m meeting with them at 6:30 a.m. Then I engage in the process of working with our marketing and sales person and some of the people who are helping me in the wine business, which include our winemaker and his staff and our vineyard manager and his staff. If you’re in the wine business, you’re in the people business, so you’re out dealing with restaurants, hotels, you’ve having lunch and you’re tasting wine.

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. I’ve had a lot going on relative to Auction Napa Valley 2014. My wife Gail and I have been asked to participate in Auction Napa Valley as the Chairs of the Live Auction Committee. The live auction is the sparkle and zest of Auction Napa Valley. That’s when everything comes together at the great luncheon at Meadowood.  This year we’re going to have 50 lots, and they include everything from trips to London with a dinner and viewing of the Royal Jewels of the British Monarchy to a couple of trips to France with a phenomenal exposure to Bordeaux, Burgundy, great chateaus and great wine tasting. There also are many exciting excursions to Asia. Domaine Chandon and Newton Vineyard are putting together what I call the “Indiana Jones” type lot. You’re flying into inland China and you’re going to be part of the experience of the Chandon—Newton winery project in China. It’s wild! There’s going to be a restaurant tour of Shanghai with Formula One interaction. Naoko Dalla Valle will be escorting people to Tokyo and Japan. It’s just wonderful dealing with all of these people.

I must tell you, I used to work continuously and very hard.  In the business of the NFL, I was on 24/7. At this point in my life, I’m very, very busy, but I’m not really “working” hard. There’s a difference.  Most of the things I do require time effort and in some cases, money, but by in large,  are fun.  I’m interacting with others who are fun. It’s a whole different lifestyle.  Sometimes I have to look in the mirror and say, “You know how lucky you are?”  It’s very difficult to differentiate portions of your day.  It all kind of comes together – morning, lunch, afternoons, wine tasting, dinner and all of a sudden you go to bed.  And the nice thing is that we have a wonderful form of diversity with our ability to spend a couple of nights a week in the city.  That enables Gail to do the things she likes to do the city, and it enables me to handle some business and social situations because we are connected to the city and we always will be. It enables me to do UCSF business in the city as well because we’re strategically located at the Four Seasons and it’s very convenient for what we do.  Plus, at the right time of year, it’s fun to go to Giants games.  We walk there and walk home. We love restaurants, so a good deal of our planning for city stay involves which restaurants we want to go.

7 p.m. We love entertaining, so we’re either out every night or we have dinners at our house.  I’d say we’re out six nights a week. We like a 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. reservation with cocktails, and preferably don’t start eating until 8:00 p.m. Some of those nights, we take the kids; some of the grandchildren have already mapped out their restaurants.  One has Bistro Don Giovanni, one has Redd Wood. So it’s kind of fun. And I think it’s good to take them out young and early, get them used to dining out.   I find that my days fly by every bit as fast in the lifestyle I’m involved in now as they did in the days when I was super busy.  In the NFL days, you’re putting out fires every day.  You’re dealing with serious matters that have to be dealt with in serious ways – financials, competitions, image of the team, marketing and player and community relations. But now, it’s so much simpler. Your decisions don’t have the impact that they used to. You’re basically dealing with a business that’s an extension of a lifestyle.

11 p.m. If I’m up at midnight, I feel like I used to when I was up at 4 a.m. If I’m out beyond 11:00 p.m., that’s a late night for me.

Issue #209, October, 2013
I have liked Casa Piena's wines in the past, but I thought the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is the finest wine I have yet tasted. There are 500 cases of this intense, full-bodied, powerful, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers an opaque purple color, a sweet nose of licorice, scorched earth, blackberries and black currants followed by a full-bodied, powerful wine with the wood, alcohol, tannin and acidity well-integrated. Juicy and multidimensional with a layered mouthfeel, this impressive 2010 is already approachable and is capable of lasting 25 or more years. Both of these wines come from a vineyard in the Yountville AVA not far from the Kapcsandy estate.   — Robert Parker

Issue #198, December, 2011
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is totally striking. Layers of dark red fruit, plums, cherries and violets burst from this deep, textured Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2010 yields were down to 1.25 tons per acre, less than half the level of 2009. Those sacrifices in the vineyard have paid off big time. This is a stunning Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon that amply demonstrates the heights that are within reach here. I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

Casa Piena is owned by the exuberant Carmen Policy and his wife Gail. Policy is best known for his work in the San Francisco 49ers front office during the golden era in which the team won four Super Bowls. Success breeds success, as the saying goes. These are two hugely polished, elegant wines from the Policy family and winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.

   — Robert Parker

A tight, vivid, juicy, concentrated yet graceful youngster, focused on dense mineral, dark berry, currant and blackberry fruit, ending with chewy tannins and notes of espresso and spice. Comes on the heels of a 2007 that seemed out of sync with the vintage. Best from 2012 through 2022. 450 cases made. –JL

A major milestone for California wine occurs tonight when the best and brightest of global technology gather in a private tasting at the Louvre Museum—the official home for French State events—where they’ll be tasting some of the Golden State’s finest wines.

This event marks the first time that non-French wines will be poured in this historic space—coincidentally falling on the exact 35th anniversary of the famed Paris Wine Tasting, a landmark competition which first opened the world’s eyes to the potential of California wines.

But tonight, amongst distinguished guests, the toast to wineries from Napa, Sonoma and Santa Barbara is a pure celebration of shared culture and agriculture between France and California. This once in a lifetime tasting demonstrates the open-minded nature of the e- G8.

Hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the 1,000 attendees of the e-G8 summit, were brought together as “leaders of the Internet” to make contributions that will be submitted for discussion at the G8 Forum itself, in Deauville. Three hundred of these tech industry leaders have been invited to the tasting hosted by Publicis, Intel, Yahoo! and Accel Partners.

“This global forum is a historic opportunity to showcase the wines of California, allowing some of the state’s most sought-after producers to share their best bottles, in France, in a non-competitive celebration of wine,” Matthew Wilson, founding partner of Soutirage, said.

The 13 wines being poured at the event, all of which were donated by the respective producers, were not revealed until today, and were selected by Greg Castells, wine director at Soutirage, Wilson and Joe Schoendorf of Accel Partners. Soutirage, located in Yountville, Calif., specializes in rare and fine wines from around the world and

works closely with individuals and corporations to build, develop and manage collections, along with hosting events in many countries. Last year, the wine company partnered with Accel to host a successful wine tasting at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

"Having seen the fantastic reception that California wines have received at our famous parties in Davos, we decided that both of California's famous valleys—Silicon and Napa/Sonoma—should be united in Paris," Schoendorf said.

For this tasting, Soutirage and Schoendorf focused on the noble French grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Some of the wines they selected are making their international debut, while wineries such as BOND, Screaming Eagle and Colgin Cellars, for example, export only tiny quantities of their wines: several shown here produce as little as 400 to 500 cases a year.

“It’s a real honor to curate this important tasting because we can demonstrate that California wines are among the best in the world,” Gregory Castells, Wine Director of Soutirage said. “There is an unprecedented interest in wine on a global scale, so it’s exciting to bring the finest examples from California before such a significant audience of tastemakers."

Given the tech savvy crowd, guests will be able to access tasting notes for each wine during the event— via iPhone, Blackberry and other smartphones—by snapping a photo of the quick response (QR) code on the bottle, taking the user to a website where they can learn more about the wine (www.soutirage.com/eg8).

Ten of the 13 vineyards represented at this groundbreaking event are located in Napa, and each winery donated two cases. Vintner owners Sir Peter Michael and Jim Bailey of Knights Bridge are attending tonight's celebration.

Three white wines were chosen: 2008 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay, Carneros; 2008 Knights Bridge Chardonnay West Block, Knights Valley; and 2007 Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carrière, Knights Valley.

The selected red wines: 2008 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville; 2006 Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville; 2006 Sloan Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford; 2005 Colgin Red Wine IX Estate, Napa Valley; 2005 Harlan Estate Proprietary Red Wine, Oakville; 2004 Sine Qua Non Syrah Ode to E, Santa Rita Hills; 2003 Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford; 2003 Favia Red Wine Cerro Sur, Napa Valley; 2001 BOND Proprietary Red Wine Vecina, Oakville; and 1997 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature, Napa Valley.

California Governor Jerry Brown sent his support and best wishes via letter to Soutirage and event co-host, Accel Partners, the Palo Alto-based global venture and growth equity firm.

“For many years California has been producing wines that are world class. The tradition of excellence is reinforced with each passing vintage: there has never been a better time to enjoy the fruits of California vineyards than today,” Governor Brown said.

JancisRobinson.com
by Jancis Robinson

Yesterday 1,000 of the major players in Silicon Valley and the global media gathered at the Tuileries in Paris for eG8, President Sarkozy’s pre-Deauville online initiative. Attendees at the conference included Rupert Murdoch, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Eric Schmidt of Google and Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezoz. A small group of them were invited to the Elysée Palace for an informal lunch with the President who was attempting, not altogether successfully by the sound of it (see John Gapper's ft.com blog), to persuade the moguls of the need for regulation.

Last night 300 of the most influential attendees were invited to a private showing at the Louvre, not of art in the conventional sense but a selection of some of California’s most prized wines. The event was put together by Joe Schoendorf, famous in Davos for the extravagance of his wine selections when entertaining at the World Economic Forum. Schoendorf, a Napa Valley resident, explained, ‘I wanted to show off California’s other great valley.’

Apparently it took two weeks’ intense negotiation before the French accepted his literally outlandish proposal, that American wines be served at the Louvre for the first time, on condition that the honour of French wine was upheld by the Dom Pérignon champagne served beforehand.

The date could hardly have been more propitious. By complete coincidence, it was 35 years on to the day from the seminal Judgment of Paris tasting in which California wines trounced the finest of France in a much-discussed blind tasting with France’s most respected palates.

Co hosts with Schoendorf’s company, the Palo Alto-based global venture and growth equity firm Accel Partners, were Publicis, Intel and Yahoo! The 13 wines poured at the event were all donated by their respective producers – two cases apiece - and chosen by  Schoendorf together with Greg Castells and Matthew Wilson of Soutirage of the Napa Valley. Predictably, they focused on Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

In keeping with the nature of the crowd, guests were able to access tasting notes for each wine by pointing their smartphones at the quick response (QR) code on the bottle which took the taster to a special section on Soutirage’s website designed to provide more details about each wine.

Just three white wines were chosen:

• Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 2008 Carneros
• Knights Bridge Chardonnay West Block 2008 Knights Valley
• Peter Michael Chardonnay La Carrière 2007 Knights Valley.

The red wines were:

• Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Oakville
• Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Yountville
• Sloan Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Rutherford
• Colgin Red Wine IX Estate 2005 Napa Valley
• Harlan Estate Proprietary Red Wine 2005 Oakville
• Sine Qua Non Syrah Ode to E 2004 Sta Rita Hills
• Staglin Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Rutherford
• Favia Red Wine Cerro Sur 2003 Napa Valley
• BOND Proprietary Red Wine Vecina 2001 Oakville
• Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature 1997 Napa Valley. 

Winery owners Englishman Sir Peter Michael and Jim Bailey of Knights Bridge were at the tasting in person.

Let’s hope these gems were fully appreciated and not just thoughtlessly downed while gossiping about the future of the internet. At over a bottle a head, the servings could have been quite generous.

Issue #192, December, 2010
Slightly better (which is no surprise, since it appears to be an impressive work in progress) is the 2008 Casa Piena. Production in this vintage is slightly higher as well. This wine displays similar character, with more unsmoked cigar tobacco intermixed with creme de cassis, camphor, graphite, and some subtle earthiness. Opaque ruby/purple, medium to full-bodied, layered, and opulent, this is a beauty as well, but slightly richer and potentially more complex than the brilliant 2007. This is an impressive newcomer, so take note!

A new project, and an impressive one at that, Casa Piena is owned by former lawyer and football executive for the San Francisco 49ers, Carmen Policy. None other than Thomas Brown is the winemaker at this facility, which is situated at the crossroads of Silverado Trail and the Yountville Crossroad, a pretty classy neighborhood, considering that Cliff Lede and Kapcsandy are also nearby. The wine at Casa Piena is aged 20 months in 80% new French oak casks and is virtually 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

— Robert Parker

Issue #192, October, 2010
The 2007, which was the debut vintage from this 14-acre parcel, is beautiful. Elegant, silky notes of red and black currants intermixed with lead pencil shavings, bay leaf, licorice, and earth are presented in a seductive, medium to full-bodied, fleshy, opulent style. Beautiful purity, texture, and length all make for an impressively well-balanced wine that is already showing complexity and savory elements. It should continue to drink well for 15 or more years.

A new project, and an impressive one at that, Casa Piena is owned by former lawyer and football executive for the San Francisco 49ers, Carmen Policy. None other than Thomas Brown is the winemaker at this facility, which is situated at the crossroads of Silverado Trail and the Yountville Crossroad, a pretty classy neighborhood, considering that Cliff Lede and Kapcsandy are also nearby. The wine at Casa Piena is aged 20 months in 80% new French oak casks and is virtually 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

— Robert Parker

Deborah Grossman, Special to The Chronicle
Sunday, January 24, 2010

"What's on Carmen Policy's mind as he starts his day at his home and vineyard in Yountville?

He's not reminiscing about the good old days as president of the 49ers. Nor is he stressing about his consulting contract with the developer who hopes to build the new 49ers stadium at Hunters Point in San Francisco.

After a cool winter evening, he's checking on the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes destined for his Casa Piena wine.

"Maybe it's my Italian heritage, but there's nothing better than staying in tune with the seasons and watching the grapevines change throughout the year," he says. "I want to understand how all the winemaking pieces fit together,"

Producing wine might have been a nice sideline to Policy's career. But he doesn't see winegrowing as a vanity project. He is a hands-on vintner.

"I met Carmen in 2005 before his first harvest. I sensed then and see now that Carmen is involved from dirt to shelf, and isn't shy about seeking advice. Quality seems to run in Carmen's veins," says Andrew Groth, vice president of operations at Groth Vineyards and one of Policy's neighbors.

Policy's interest in Napa Valley paralleled his involvement with the 49ers in the 1980s, as he and wife Gail vacationed in Wine Country. After moving to Palo Alto in 1991, the Policys visited more frequently. "Carmen always enjoyed fine wine, and as we met more winemaking families, we realized we wanted this lifestyle, too," says Gail Policy..."

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by James Laube

CASA PIENA
A 49er Pans for Gold

When Carmen Policy left the NFL, he may have thought his toughest competition was behind him. Yet now he's competing on a whole new playing field: Napa Valley.

The former president of the San Francisco 49ers presided over that team's rise to greatness-starting in 1977, Policy helped build five championship teams from 1981 through 1995-as well as its unraveling, when then-owner Eddie DeBartolo lost control of the team. Policy still proudly displays his Super Bowl rings in his home office in Yountville.

"When it worked [with the 49ers], there was nothing better," he says of his tenure in San Francisco.

The last ring came in 1995. When ownership of the 49ers changed hands, Policy departed for his home state of Ohio to run the Cleveland Browns. No rings there.

In 2003, he and his wife, Gail, purchased their property in Napa, where they hired Jim Barbour to plant 10 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. The winemaker is Thomas Brown, who also owns his own label, Rivers-Marie, and makes Schrader's stunning Cabernets.

"It's a business and it's not a business," Policy says of Casa Piena, the Italian cardplaying term for "full house." The debut bottling from 2006 (93, $125) is a terrific wine-rich, intense, vibrant and full-bodied, with well-defined loamy currant, berry, herb and toasty oak flavors, yet made in a more elegant style than many Napa Cabernets. Production is projected to expand from about 250 cases to 800.

"What's the goal?" he asks. "The goal is to make something great. It's part of your credibility. [The wine] needs to stand up to value and quality. We didn't want a big, strong, dominant style, but something more like Bordeaux."

"I used the 49er model [for organization]," Policy says. "Putting the right people in the right positions and let them make the decisions. I oversee, but don't supervise."

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by Julia Hollister

"...Carmen Policy, former president of the San Francisco 49ers through the team’s Golden Age, knows about football and now he’s added a new addition to his playbook – wine making.

“In 2003, my wife Gail and I bought vineyard property in Napa and began Casa Piena,” he said. “The name means ‘full-house’ in Italian and vividly describes our family of three sons and two daughters – three of a kind and a pair.” ..."

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