Our story · planted 2010
We were trying to hold a hillside together
Larry and Esther Thal planted their vineyard in Lafayette in early 2010 and harvested their first grapes in 2012. The reason was a hillside that would not stay put.
The reason
Erosion control, then a vineyard
Vines are drought tolerant and fire resistant, and their roots go deep and hold. That was the original incentive: a slope with an erosion problem, and a planting that would solve it. The roots have done that job exceptionally well.
The fruit turned out to be worth taking seriously, so we did. A hillside planted to hold the soil went on to take a Double Gold and 98 points at the California State Fair.
[CONFIRM: the Double Gold and the 98-point score, against the California State Fair’s own published results, Larry]
[CONFIRM: this story lead, before launch. It leads with stewardship and craft rather than presenting the wine as an accident, which is a change from the old website, Larry]
The vineyard
The vineyard, in four facts
Planted
2010
Vines
Over 2,000
First harvest
2012
Labels
Two
We have over 2,000 vines. More than half are Cabernet Sauvignon. The rest is divided between Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. We have a vineyard manager who helps us take care of the vines, and a winemaker who makes our wine.
[CONFIRM: the current vine count and the planted acreage. The figure of “over 2,000 vines” has been on the old website unchanged since 2017, Larry]
[CONFIRM: the vineyard manager and the winemaker, by name, so they can be credited here, Larry]
Thal Vineyards is a member of the Lamorinda Wine Growers Association. We are focused on natural winegrowing and sustainability.
Lamorinda AVA · established 2016
Small hillside vineyards, most too small to carry a label
Lamorinda is Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda. It became a federally recognized American Viticultural Area in 2016. The vineyards here are hillside plantings and most of them are small, too small to carry a label of their own. That is why our Stag Hill label exists, and it is part of why a cooperative tasting room works in this valley.
Two labels
Thal is ours. Stag Hill is the neighbourhood.
Everything under the Thal Vineyards label is estate fruit from this hillside. Everything under Stag Hill is made by us from grapes grown by other Lamorinda growers.
The fine engraved deer is Thal. The coarse block-printed stag is Stag Hill. Same winemaking, different print.
See all thirteen winesThe place
Six frames from the hillside
Our tasting room partner
Taste Thal wines at Local Vines
Thal Vineyards grows and makes the wine. Local Vines, a cooperative tasting room in downtown Lafayette, pours and sells it.
[CONFIRM: the relationship statement above, which appears in this band on every page, Larry]
[CONFIRM: written permission from Local Vines for the interior photograph and the logo in this band, Amy]
3393 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette · open Thursday through Sunday
Our wines are sold through our tasting room partner, Local Vines, in downtown Lafayette. The button below opens their online store, where you can browse and buy our wines.
The online store is at local-vines.com/collection/wines. For directions, search a map for 3393 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA 94549.
Prefer to order by phone? Call Local Vines at (925) 298-5109. The same number reserves a tasting.
Wines are available for pickup at Local Vines in Lafayette.
The shop link opens the Local Vines website, which is a different business from Thal Vineyards. Directions open in Google Maps.