Joseph Phelps — a dean of Napa wine industry and philanthropist
Wine began as a construction project some 50 years ago, then became a lifetime love for Joseph Phelps, who passed away April 15 at age 87 in his St. Helena home.
Mr. Phelps, who had turned his father’s Hensel Phelps construction business into one of the largest construction companies in Colorado, established an office in 1966 in the Bay Area, where he quickly discovered Napa Valley and Sonoma County.
Soon he was selected to bid on what would be Souverain Winery ( now Rutherford Hill) in Rutherford.
Already an avid wine collector since his early days in Colorado, in 1973 he decided to found his own wine business, purchasing a 600- acre former cattle ranch on Taplin Road just off the Silverado Trail and calling it Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Born to Nita and Hensel Phelps on the family farm in Maysville, Mo., on Nov. 12, 1927, Mr. Phelps had been raised with an agricultural education, and tackled the nascent vineyard landscape with enthusiasm. Jumping in head- on with his first winemaker, Walter Schug, he planted dozens of acres of vineyards and began constructing his own winery on the property.
His first harvest came that same year, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Riesling crushed and bottled at Heitz Wine Cellars, and, perhaps ironically, Souverain Winery. By the following year, his winery was complete, and 1974 was the year he also made the first varietal- labeled Syrah in the state of California, plus his landmark Insignia Bordeaux proprietary blends.
After selling his construction company to his employees, Mr. Phelps committed his efforts to his winery and to the Napa Valley community, including longtime ownership of the Oakville Grocery business. He supported beneficiaries like St. Helena Hospital, the St. Helena Women’s Center, the Land Trust of Napa County and Colorado State University.
In 2001 he donated land from his home ranch to Napa County for the creation of the River Ranch Farmworker Housing Center.
Achieving success in the wine industry, Mr. Phelps continued to look for more challenges, and earned his private airplane pilot certification at the age of 60, followed shortly by his instrument rating certificate. And he continued to grow his vineyards, expanding to a current portfolio of eight vineyards in Napa from St. Helena to Carneros.
Mr. Phelps is survived by four children, including the winery’s current president, William Phelps; eight grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.