United States · California

Sterling Vineyards

Sterling Vineyards is a prominent Napa Valley winery founded in 1964, notable for its striking white hilltop architecture in Calistoga and its aerial tram visitor experience. The estate produces across a wide portfolio from Napa Valley appellation wines to single-vineyard and reserve-tier expressions. The Three Palms Vineyard Red is Sterling's prestige single-vineyard statement — drawn from a Calistoga-adjacent site long farmed for Sterling and recognized as one of Napa's historic Merlot and Cabernet parcels. The SVR Reserve and Winery Lake Vineyard Pinot Noir represent the upper production tiers, the latter sourcing from the cool Carneros district. Sterling was acquired by Diageo in 1983 as part of a broader portfolio and subsequently passed to Treasury Wine Estates, meaning the estate operates within a large corporate structure rather than as an independent boutique. The auction average of $64 per bottle across 233 lots with peaks to $1,968 is striking — the $1,968 ceiling likely reflects rare older vintages of Three Palms or SVR Reserve in large format from the estate's 1970s and early 1980s production. The modern wine at auction trades in a narrower range of $40–$150. The Three Palms Vineyard Red has attracted particular critical attention in recent vintages, earning scores in the 92–95 range from Wine Spectator and establishing its status as Sterling's most collectible modern expression.