The Hendry family has been farming and growing grapes at their ranch in the Oak Knoll district since 1939. Until 1960 the value of Napa’s prune crop was higher than its grapes, so it wasn’t until 1992, after many years of selling their grapes to the Mondavi family and Opus One, that the Hendrys began making their own wine. They never went for the blockbuster scores that changed Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from an elegant wine to have with dinner into a cocktail in a wine glass, so you always get a little bit of the bell pepper that is characteristic of the grape when it is harvested before it becomes a raisin. The HRW bottling sees only 10% new oak, with the remainder being 2nd and 3rd use, which keeps the cost of the bottle down, but also serves to keep the focus of the wine on the fruit.