Renowned author Jack London wrote about The Valley of the Moon, the shortened version of the region's original name, given by the Wappo, Miwok and Pomo Indians who were enchanted by the moon that passed seven times over the peaks of the mountains as it rose in the sky.

Predating the Chateau St. Jean Winery, "The Chateau" was constructed in 1920 as the family summer home for Ernest and Maude Goff, and their five children. The family, originally from Saginaw Michigan, had its fortune in iron ore mines there, and in lumber in the Pacific Northwest. The 250 acres of land that currently occupy the Chateau St. Jean winery and vineyards were initially planted with white grapes. Prohibition curtailed grape growing, however, and the family opted to grow prunes and walnuts

The Goff's occupied the house until late 1960, although much of their legacy remains today. The fishponds in the shape of Lakes Michigan and Huron still stand on the south side of the house, and a variety of exotic and ornamental plants – palm, pine, pomegranate, fig, coffee, cork, oak and tea, as well as one apple tree are still part of the landscape.

In 1973, Chateau St. Jean winery was founded. The winery was completed in 1980, which houses production and much of the winery's staff. The Chateau itself houses the hospitality center, which serves as an exquisite environment for a variety of local events.

From the beginning, Chateau St. Jean has prided itself on producing hand-crafted, truly world-class wines, and has created its own heritage as one of the pioneers of single vineyard designated wines.

Chateau St. Jean is a winemaking estate located at the foot of Sugarloaf Ridge in the Sonoma Valley near Kenwood, California. Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean has prided itself on its talented staff whose expertise in selecting the richest vineyards with the best microclimates, innovative winemaking practices, and tenacious commitment to quality create truly world-class wines.

If you have ever been to Chateau St. Jean, you are familiar with the bounty and beauty which surrounds it. Their grapes come from a variety of sources; their estate vineyards comprise 80 acres of premium varietals, which yield approximately 10% of the total fruit required for our overall production. They also own the La Petite Etoile vineyard, and have 80 additional acres of grapes under long-term lease. The balance of the grapes is purchased from independent growers, most of whom have been working with Chateau St. Jean for several years.

They have built their reputation for producing consistently high quality wines around their single

Chateau St. Jean was designed from the ground up to accommodate numerous lots of grapes and keep them separate throughout the winemaking process. Wines from each special vineyard are bottled and marketed separately, with the vineyard name designated on the label. Chateau St. Jean offers vineyard designated Chardonnays from the acclaimed Robert Young and Belle Terre Vineyards and a Fumé Blanc from La Petite Etoile Vineyard, "The Little Star." The winery also produces Cinq Cépages, a Bordeaux-style blend of "Five Varieties" labeled Cabernet Sauvignon.

La Petite Etoile

The Petite Etoile ("The Little Star") is a Sauvignon Blanc vineyard located just west of the town of Windsor in the Russian River Valley. The vineyard is perfectly situated in the Russian River corridor, with morning fog lingering until noon, when strong maritime

influences create breezy afternoons. Planted in 1975 on rolling hills with shallow gravelly and sandy loam soils, the vineyard is ideal for controlling the vigor of this variety and yielding vineyard designated Fumé Blancs with a wealth of intense fruit character.

The Robert Young Vineyard is an Alexander Valley estate with over 300 acres planted to wine grapes. The ranch has been owned and farmed by the Young family since 1961 and, the land has produced cattle, grain and prunes as well as highly acclaimed wine grapes. The vineyards are located in a sheltered cove in the north-central part of the valley, and the soils are fine alluvial clay loam. Plantings date from the mid-1960's. Vineyard designated varieties are Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc.

Belle Terre Vineyards

The Belle Terre Vineyards comprise over 110 acres of vines on gently rolling land in the heart of the Alexander Valley. Owned and farmed by the Dick family since the mid-1940, the vineyard is located on gravelly, sandy loam soils, with plantings dating from the early 1970's. This "beautiful land" has also followed the agricultural cycles of the valley, producing cattle, grain, hops and kiwi fruit in the past. The vineyard-designated variety is Chardonnay and Late Harvest Johannisberg Riesling.