If you are looking for wines that reflect the soul of the terroir in which they are grown look no further than the wines crafted by Hugo Maldonado. Tucked away in Calistoga, Napa’s northernmost AVA, you can find Maldonado Family Vineyards. The project is the dream and vision of Hugo Maldonado and his wife Lidia, who together own and run the winery. 

Hugo’s and Lidia’s winery vision started to take shape in 2007 when they purchased a small piece of land on the outskirts of Calistoga where the winery resides to this day. The property is secluded and showcases peaceful mountain views. The winery is housed inside their caves making a visit to Maldonado Vineyards a unique experience. To our amazement we learned that the Maldonado’s built the winery themselves. From drilling the wine caves to pouring the concrete floors the Maldonado Family literally made their dream come true.

Hugo, who apart from being the owner is also the winemaker, worked with his father Lupe Maldonado tending to the prestigious vines of Newton Vineyards before launching his own project. This vineyard management background shines through in his wines by showcasing the freshness of the fruit they work with and by the elegance and structure of their wines. 

During our visit we were fortunate to enjoy the hospitality of Lidia Maldonado who gave us a tour of the winery and guided us through an amazing tasting. Alongside a beautifully prepared charcuterie board, we tasted their 2019 Rosé, the 2019 Los Olivos Vineyard Chardonnay, the 2019 Los Olivos Vineyard Pinot Noir, the 2018 Hawk’s Nest Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 Peter Newton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. We rarely highlight all of the wines in our tastings but in this case we loved every one of them. The 2015 Peter Newton Cabernet was one of the best Cabernets we tasted during our stay in Napa with the 2018 Hawk’s Nest Cab not far behind. Our surprise wine of the trip was their 2019 Los Olivos Pinot Noir which featured beautiful bright fruit from beginning to end.

If you have not tried the wines from Maldonado Family Vineyards we strongly encourage you to do so. Their story is a testament that if you relentlessly work for your dreams they do come true. Thanks to Lidia for taking time during harvest to host our visit and for making us feel like family. We look forward to making Maldonado Family Vineyards a fixture in our future Napa itineraries.