Laird
The genesis of Laird stems from a road trip in 1970. Ken Laird, a business man with tobacco farming roots in South Boston, Virginia, found himself exploring Napa Valley on a day trip with his wife, Gail. Driving through the valley, he had never seen anything more beautiful (other than his wife) and wanted to purchase a piece of property to always keep him coming back. Amidst the twists and turns leading up to Calistoga (the North end of Napa Valley) Ken Laird came across a curious plot of land. 60 acres of prunes for sale nestled up on the hill and with the sun dusting it just right he had to have it. His idea… rip up the prunes and plant grapevines. Ken took his impulsive plan to a nearby bank where they kindly declined his application for a bank loan, unless of course he could find someone to vouch for him and guarantee the loan. Inspired by the land and challenged by the bank, he started doing what any hard working man would do… he started working. He grabbed the yellow pages and looked up any winemakers listed in Napa Valley at the time. As his finger glided down the page, he landed on the name Robert Mondavi. Ken Laird decided to give Bob a call.
Robert Mondavi himself fielded the call and Ken Laird politely asked for his advice. Robert Mondavi agreed to meet with Ken and by the end of the day Mondavi said to plant the orchard half to gamay and half to cabernet and Mondavi would buy the fruit for 20 years. Ken Laird added the caveat that he needed someone to guarantee his bank loan in order to secure the land. Ken Laird and Robert Mondavi shook hands on a 20-year contract for the fruit and Robert Mondavi personally guaranteed Ken’s bank loan. The rest as they say, is history. Ken began purchasing land as he could in Carneros, Oak Knoll, and Yountville back when acreage was more affordable and available. Today he is the largest landholder in Napa Valley with over 2,500 acres under vine. Laird is a Scottish name meaning “Lord of the Land” which is quite apropos in this case. Ken raised his children tying vines and pruning on the weekends. Today his son, Justin Laird, is our vineyard manager and his daughter, Rebecca Laird, is our General Manager. The family runs the show and carries on a legacy built on following your passion, hard work, and believing in yourself. The result is in the bottle and with each bottle of Laird you can always trust the quality of the grapes in your glass. Farmed and cared for by the Laird family and hand crafted by our elite winemaker, Brian Mox. Quality you can count on from the premiere farming family in Napa Valley.
Philosophy
Laird seeks to produce wines that are “a window to a place.” Each one of our vineyards is different in expression, with its own subtle, yet distinctive character and voice. Each year renews in us an intense drive to understand, react to, and work with each vineyard to allow it to reach its full potential. This process, lead by our winemaking and vineyard management team, is crucial for the execution of successful wines.
Our vineyard holdings possess a cross section of geomorphic and microclimate idiosyncrasies that are poised to produce particular grape varieties that thrive in their desired terroir.
From the thick fog and marine winds in Carneros to the volcanic soils mixed with ancient coastal deposits in the lower bench of the Mayacamas Mountains, we farm our vineyards to produce fruit that best complements the hallmarks of the land.
We are certified by the Fish Friendly Farming Environmental Program operated by the California Land Stewardship Institute.
Biography
Ken Laird, now in his 80’s, is still hand delivering fruit all over Napa Valley. His son, Justin Laird is our vineyard manager and his daughter, Rebecca Laird, is the General Manager of Laird Family Estate. Still all family owned and operated after 50 years of growing grapes in Napa Valley, the Laird’s believe in hard work, family, tradition, and quality. The Laird wines are honest, estate grown, and hand selected with a clear focus on obtaining the best quality grapes that Ken and Justin Laird can harvest. We place our exceptional fruit in the hands of our highly skilled winemaker, Brian Mox, with a focus on food friendly wines and preserving the integrity of the grape in the winemaking process. The family's passion and honest diligence managing the vineyards results in exceptional quality in the bottle.
Contact Us
