Knight Michael Robbins, founder of Napa Valley's Spring Mountain
Vineyard, passed away at his home in St. Helena on Jan. 29. He was 89.
Robbins was one of several pioneers who came to Napa Valley in the
1960s, imagining a picturesque estate in Napa Valley where he could make
great Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. What he ended up creating was
one of Napa Valley's greatest properties—the 845-acre Spring Mountain
Vineyard. The extraordinary estate became popular, especially for its
Victorian mansion, which was the featured set for the TV series
Falcon Crest.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1923, Robbins found his passion for wine
later than most—he didn't try it until he was 31. After several years
in the Navy, he worked in real estate in the Bay Area and was soon
commuting back to St. Helena every weekend to pursue winemaking, with
dreams of opening his own winery.
Robbins purchased and restored an old Victorian house along Highway
29 and established Spring Mountain Vineyards (the property is now St.
Clement). At the time, it was only the 16th winery in the valley. His
first release, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1969 vintage, won critical
acclaim, and included grapes from Martha's Vineyard. Spring Mountain
Vineyards became a highly regarded wine, faring well at many prestigious
wine competitions, and was one of the wines poured at the famous 1976
Judgment of Paris.
In 1974, Robbins purchased the historic Tiburcio Parrott property on
Spring Mountain Road near St. Helena, restoring the large villa on the
property and constructing a new winery for Spring Mountain. The
popularity of
Falcon Crest made Napa Valley an increasingly
popular destination to visit, but despite Robbins' ambitions, he
struggled to keep up with a growing industry and his affinity for the
business waned. During the late '80s, the estate became too much to
handle. He put the winery on the market and left the business in 1992,
retiring shortly thereafter.