The story of David Arthur Vineyards is deeply intertwined with the history of the Long Family Ranch, a legacy that began in the 1950s when the Long family first discovered the beauty and promise of Napa Valley. At the time, Don Long, a butcher by trade, owned a neighborhood grocery store in Portola Valley near Stanford University. Although his livelihood was rooted in the food business, Don possessed an entrepreneurial spirit and a deep appreciation for California’s emerging wine country.
Recognizing the region’s extraordinary potential long before Napa Valley gained international acclaim, Don began acquiring parcels of rugged mountainside property on Pritchard Hill. Over the following decades, his vision culminated in the accumulation of nearly 1,000 contiguous acres overlooking the Napa Valley, creating what is now known as the Long Family Ranch. The untouched landscape, defined by rocky volcanic soils, steep elevations, and sweeping views, would eventually become one of Napa Valley’s most celebrated vineyard sites.
Inspired by his father’s foresight and his own growing passion for fine wine, Don’s youngest son, David Arthur Long, founded David Arthur Vineyards with his then-wife, Joye Dale, in 1985. Armed with just 30 French oak barrels and a commitment to crafting world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, David transformed a small portion of the family ranch into an estate winery dedicated to expressing the remarkable terroir of Pritchard Hill.
Today, David Arthur Vineyards remains a family-owned and operated estate. David’s daughter, Laura Long, works alongside her father, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the winery and vineyards while helping guide the estate into its next generation. Together, they continue the Long family’s enduring commitment to stewardship, meticulous farming, and producing wines that reflect the singular character of one of Napa Valley’s most iconic mountain landscapes.
Legacy
In the 1960s, the estate was little more than raw, undeveloped land with no roads or utilities. On weekends, Don and his wife, Anne, would hike nearly 1,000 feet up from the Silverado Trail below to picnic beneath the majestic oak tree that still stands in the vineyard in front of the winery today. As they relaxed on their blanket with a glass of wine, Don envisioned transforming the rugged hillside into a vineyard capable of producing world-class wines.
That vision became a reality in 1978, when Don and his 28-year-old son, David Arthur Long, built a small barn and began planting grapevines. As the vineyards matured and consistently produced exceptional fruit, Don gave David permission to convert the barn into his own winery, which he named David Arthur Vineyards. The winery’s inaugural release was the 1985 vintage—a milestone that also marked the birth year of David’s daughter, Laura Annalyce Long.
People
DAVID LONG - Proprietor
David’s interest in the fermentation process began at an early age. A friendship forged on a seventh-grade school bus resulted in some early experimentation with apple juice, yeast culture and plenty of boyhood anticipation. That initial interest soon waned, but would resurface many years later with a much more refined product.
In the early 1970’s, David transitioned from University life to the world of food and wine opening his first restaurant in Boulder, CO. This experience cemented his passion for great food, fine wine (and hard work!) The art of hospitality and the cultivation of great friendships has never been lost on David. If there is any reason to celebrate; life, love, family, friends, a beautiful day, David is there with open arms, a mischievous smile and lots of delicious food, tasty libations and plenty of fun!
David was lured to the Napa Valley by his adventurous spirit and the opportunity to do something special. One fateful evening in the winter of 1976, David’s father, Don Long, disclosed that during the 1950’s and 60’s he had purchased nearly 1,000 acres of land in the eastern hillsides of Rutherford. The Judgement of Paris had been published in Time magazine and conversations with Andre Tchelistcheff, the Dean of American Winemaking, ensued. The Europeans had been growing wine in the hills for centuries and the concept of terroir was on the American horizon.
David wasted no time clearing the land, removing rock and planting his vineyard on Pritchard Hill. He began learning about viticulture and oenology through internships at Chappellet, Joseph Phelps and Schramsberg all the while taking classes at UC Davis. Hard work was the name of the game and David had endless energy to get the job done. The result: electricity, water, a barn, a house, a road and nineteen acres of pristine grapevines producing the extraordinary fruit that goes into each bottle of highly acclaimed David Arthur Vineyards wine.
David’s energy is contagious. The glass is always half-full (or entirely full in many cases) and his vision and work-ethic are at the heart of our company. It’s about family and friends and being thankful for our blessings. One of David’s many insightful quotes is: ‘We make wine every day…the magic happens when we enjoy it together!’
LAURA LONG BYSTROWSKI and TED BYSTROWSKI – Proprietors
Born and raised on Long Family Ranch atop Pritchard Hill, Laura’s connection to the land runs deep. It is not simply where she grew up -it is home. The values, traditions, and uncompromising commitment to excellence that define DAV have shaped Laura from the very beginning. She knows the winery’s history firsthand, lives its mission every day, and is dedicated to preserving its legacy for future generations.
Growing up, Laura witnessed her parents’ unwavering work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit, and steadfast dedication to crafting wines of exceptional quality. Inspired by their example, she pursued a graduate degree in Business Administration with the goal of returning home to help lead and strengthen the family business.
Today, as General Manager, Laura oversees all aspects of winery operations, ensuring that every detail reflects the family’s commitment to excellence. She combines strategic business expertise with thoughtful leadership, a clear vision, and an intuitive understanding of both the business and the people who make it thrive. Her leadership fosters a culture of collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement while honoring the traditions that have made David Arthur a respected name in Napa Valley. In 2016, David and Laura Long welcomed Paul and Ted Bystrowski as partners in David Arthur Vineyards. Ted is Laura’s husband, and Paul is her father-in-law. Together this father-daughter and father-son team share the responsibility of guiding the winery into the future for generations to come.
Deeply committed to the family’s philosophy of quality over quantity, Laura, Ted, Paul, and David are dedicated to preserving the handcrafted, limited-production approach that has defined the winery for decades. By balancing innovation with tradition, they are ensuring that each vintage reflects the character of Pritchard Hill and the enduring values of the Long family for generations to come.
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Estate Team
NILE ZACHERLE - Winemaker
With more than two decades of experience working with notable wineries both domestically and abroad, Nile brings a vast knowledge to the craft of organic winegrowing. He lends his passion and commitment to producing distinctive wines with a focus on vineyard site-expression and structure, which are benchmarks of the David Arthur winemaking philosophy.
Growing up in Marin County, CA, Nile’s interest in winemaking began at an early age while he and his father experimented with home winemaking and this early exposure piqued Nile’s interest and ignited a passion that still exists today.
A trip with his father many years later to the Northern California coast included visits to several breweries. This inspired him to begin experimenting with brewing his own beer, entering competitions and winning awards for his brews. The experience stoked his passion for combining science and artistry and put him on the path to earning a BS in Fermentation Science in 1997 with a focus in Enology, Viticulture and Brewing Sciences at the University of California, Davis.
Nile has built a career producing award-winning wines from Burgundian and Bordeaux varieties. At David Arthur Vineyards he continues to push quality through focused attention on soils, organic viticultural management and limited input or Natural Winemaking.
GARY CARMAN - Hospitality
Moving from Bend, Oregon in 2015, Gary brought years of senior management expertise to Napa Valley. A personal visit to David Arthur (and a tour with Tanner!) proved transformative, igniting a deep passion for wine and hospitality that set the course for his career. He has since held key leadership roles in both fine dining and luxury wine, honing his ability to craft exceptional guest experiences. Known for his genuine warmth, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail, Gary ensures every tour and tasting becomes a cherished moment and a truly memorable glass of wine.
GEOFFREY LEIGH - Estate Conversationalist
After 30 years of academic contributions and leadership, Geoffrey moved to Napa Valley in 2009. He loved wine before moving, but residing in this bucolic valley stimulated interest in wine making and vineyard management. In early 2021, David invited him to join the DAV team. He began hosting under Tanner’s tutelage. He also relished opportunities to participate in harvest, bottling, and vine pruning. His love of captivating lore impassioned the gathering of family and winery stories, which he loves to reveal. For him, conversations with guests entail making connections, often through estate tales, while experiencing award-winning wines.
TANNER SNEED - Sales Ambassador
Tanner came to Napa Valley in 2013 to start his career in wine. A Kansas native, he graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in film production and spent five years working in Chicago before heading west to pursue his passion for wine. Tanner landed a coveted internship at DAV, and after two harvest seasons in the cellar, it became clear that Tanner’s spark-plug personality, quick wit, and disarming charm were best suited to the ‘front of house.’ Now based on the East Coast, Tanner proudly represents David Arthur beyond Pritchard Hill, sharing the winery’s wines and story with members and wine lovers alike.
CANDICE PANNETIER - Consumer Relations
Born and raised in Piedmont, California, Candice graduated from USC with a degree in French Literature. Following her interests of travel and adventure, she lived in France for several years where her love of wine emerged. Candice began her career as an interpreter and translator, but quickly realized that wine was her true passion. Wine and, of course, people! Candice moved to Napa Valley in 1998 and has never looked back. Her expertise lies in all things Direct-to-Consumer: Hospitality, Sales, Marketing, Allocation, Education, eCommerce and Customer Service. If you are drinking David Arthur Vineyards wine, you probably know (and love!) Candice.
SEAN GALLAGHER - National Sales
Born and raised outside of San Francisco, Sean spent his early summers working on his uncle’s cattle and citrus ranch in California’s Central Valley. It was there that Sean’s love of farming evolved and lead him to studying plant science and viticulture at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. After graduation, Sean went directly into the wholesale fine wine business working for some of Napa Valley’s finest, ultra-premium wineries managing sales, marketing and distribution. Sean’s professionalism and extensive knowledge of wholesale distribution, on-premise and off-premise sales and marketing allow our friends to enjoy DAV wine all across the US and abroad.
Vineyards
Estate Vineyard
Perched atop Pritchard Hill in Napa Valley’s eastern Vaca Mountains, David Arthur Vineyards has farmed its organically certified estate vineyard for more than 40 years. Our high-elevation site is rooted in ancient volcanic soils of weathered rock and granitic material, providing exceptional drainage, low vine vigor, and remarkable concentration.
Guided by a long-term commitment to stewardship, we practice sustainable farming through:
- CCOF Certified Organic since 1986
- Organic cover crops for soil health and erosion control
- Annual soil and tissue analysis to guide organic nutrient management
- Hand pruning, thinning, and harvesting
- Low-impact electric vineyard vehicles
- California Fish Friendly certification
- Bird box installation to encourage biodiversity
- Low yields averaging 2.7 tons per acre
- Night harvesting to preserve fruit quality
- Block-by-block harvesting and separate vinification to showcase each site’s character
Our Soils
Pritchard Hill’s distinctive red volcanic soils were formed millions of years ago through volcanic activity. Shallow, rocky soils composed primarily of Hambright, Sobrante, and Henneke series challenge the vines to develop deep root systems, naturally limiting yields while producing wines of exceptional concentration, structure, minerality, and complexity. Each soil type contributes a unique expression that we preserve through meticulous vineyard management and small-lot winemaking.
Ten Acre Vineyard
Originally planted to Chardonnay in 1979, this historic block was later replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Today it is the oldest producing vineyard on Pritchard Hill.
Featured Wines: Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, Le Boucher, Proprietary Red Wine, Sangiovese, Meritaggio
Six Acre Vineyard
Known as the Elevation Block, this vineyard was planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 2001. Its rocky volcanic soils and exceptionally low yields produce intensely concentrated fruit, forming the foundation of our flagship Elevation 1147 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Featured Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Elevation 1147, Proprietary Red Wine
Three Acre Vineyard
Planted to Clone 337 Cabernet Sauvignon in 2001, Three Acre combines slightly deeper Hambright soils with small-lot farming to produce powerful, dark-fruited wines with firm tannins. A section of the vineyard is dedicated to Nebbiolo, yielding one of Napa Valley’s rarest varietal bottlings.
Featured Wines: Three Acre Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo
