Watch our video to hear about the winemakers take on Red Lake Ranch
About Predecessor Estate
Predecessor Estate is all about making the highest quality wines from our Red Lake Ranch on Howell Mountain. This stunning property is solely farmed by William and his son, Cole. Since the wines from the Estate are appellation driven, we are able to obtain big bold but yet elegantly crafted wines.
Owners and winemakers William and son Cole Ballentine built Predecessor Estate to reunite with the mountain their ancestors once farmed. William’s grandparents arrived in Napa Valley from Ireland in 1922 settling at the base of Howell Mountain later naming the area Deer Park after the family homestead from Ireland. They settled on Howell Mountain gravitating towards the well drained rocky soils. They were one of the original grape growers long before Howell Mountain became a world-renowned AVA. Settling at the base of Howell Mountain
William Ballentine
William Ballentine is fourth generation in his family to make wine in the Napa Valley, winemaking is in his blood. Both sides of his family have their own history making wine in Napa Valley. His mother’s family arrived in Napa Valley from Northern Italy in 1906 and his father’s family arrived in Napa Valley from Ireland in 1921. Bill, following family legacy, started making wine in the early 1990s and then founded William Cole Vineyards in 1997. Returning to his roots, William and his family purchased Red Lake Vineyard in 2015, high on the same Mountain his predecessors farmed generations ago.
Most importantly, Bill’s love and dedication to the land and dirt is where his passion roots. You can see Bill’s face light up when he speaks about sitting on a tractor at an early age and recognizing the smell of fresh tilled vineyards. To this day, when looking for Bill, he is usually out on the tractor at Red Lake. Outside of wine, Bill enjoys hiking and anything outdoors, recently he had great fun uniting with newfound relatives in Ireland
Cole Ballentine
Cole Ballentine, fifth generation Italian/Irish Napa Valley native, embodies being outdoors with the elements. Like his father, when he is home he is in the vineyards, in sync with the climate and the dirt. Cole has been making wine with his father as far back as he can remember. Cole’s passion for wine was shaped at a young age from blending and learning the ways of the land. A quote often heard from Cole, “It is crazy to think my ancestors settled on this mountain and started growing grapes, now here we are generations later building on what they started. They knew what they were doing, the fruit is truly spectacular.” Passionate about sports and competition, he is also an avid camper and is usually found in his jeep up at Red Lake.
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