Open:Â Year Round
Dr. Tom Kenefick brings a family history in farming and a scientific methodology to the way he cultivates his vineyards. Originally farmers in Ireland, his family settled in the Midwest - first in Iowa and then in Minnesota. While Tom is a third-generation physician, farming was always a source of pride for the family, who valued its legacy of hard work and a closeness with the land. He headed to the University of Minnesota Medical School, after which he conducted his residency at the renowned Mayo Clinic. His training honed his strict attention to detail and disciplined approach, both of which influence Kenefick Ranch's wine 50 years later.
Dr. Kenefick was a practicing neurosurgeon in San Francisco when he first visited the area in 1970 and fell in love with the Napa Valley. Eight years later, he found this remarkable property. "I must have had a great guardian angel," he remembers. "I didn't know enough about viticulture at that point to make such a good decision." With a longstanding interest in wines, particularly Bordeaux varietals, he began to pursue his new passion for wine-growing.
His medical training gave him a scientific eye in the vineyard, but it wasn't long before he decided to take viticulture classes at night to learn more about his new profession. He continued to practice neurosurgery, returning to the ranch every weekend over the years to tend his vines.
