Lancaster Estate

Ted Simpkins established the estate in 1995 under the name Maacama Creek Winery, releasing his first wines that same year from what would become one of Alexander Valley's more precisely defined single-estate operations. The rename to Lancaster came from a personal discovery: genealogical research revealed Lancaster as the surname of Simpkins' biological father, grounding the estate's identity in family history before a single vine had fully matured. Simpkins invested in serious infrastructure from the outset, constructing a purpose-built winery and excavating a hillside wine cave of more than 9,000 square feet to support long-term barrel aging. The estate operated independently until November 2012, when Foley Family Wines completed an acquisition that added Lancaster to a growing portfolio of California and Pacific Northwest producers.

• First wine released 1995 under the original name Maacama Creek Winery
• Renamed Lancaster after founder Ted Simpkins discovered his biological father's surname through genealogical research
• Hillside wine cave exceeds 9,000 square feet, built to support extended barrel-aging programs
• Foley Family Wines acquired Lancaster in November 2012; Bill and Carol Foley are current owners

Since the 2012 acquisition, Foley Family Wines has maintained Lancaster as an autonomous brand, preserving the estate's identity and winemaking team rather than absorbing it into a centralized production model. Winemaker David Drake, who joined as an intern in 2000 and refined his craft under the mentorship of consultant David Ramey between 2003 and 2013, has remained the constant voice shaping every vintage. The personal character of the original estate carries through in the naming of individual wines: Sophia's Hillside Cuvée and Samantha's Sauvignon Blanc honor Simpkins' twin daughters, while Nicole's Proprietary Red is named for his wife. Viticulturist Brian Malone works alongside Drake using satellite mapping and weather station data to inform precision decisions across the estate's varied slopes and soil types.

• David Drake joined as intern in 2000, studied under consultant David Ramey from 2003 to 2013, and has led winemaking for 21-plus years
• Wines named after founder's family: Sophia and Samantha (twin daughters), Nicole (wife)
• Viticulturist Brian Malone uses satellite mapping and weather station data for precision viticulture
• Lancaster operates as an autonomous Foley Family Wines portfolio brand, distinct from higher-volume sibling Roth Estate

The 53-acre (21.4-hectare) estate occupies a distinctive position at the southern extremity of the Alexander Valley AVA, situated near the confluence zones of Chalk Hill and Knights Valley. This location subjects the vineyard to a range of thermal and topographic influences that differ from the warmer, flatter floor of central Alexander Valley. Soils across the property vary among volcanic, river-deposited, and clay profiles, with north-, east-, and south-facing slopes adding further complexity to ripening patterns. Cabernet Sauvignon commands 83 percent of the plantings across seven distinct clones, offering Drake the raw material to build structured blends with textural nuance. Sauvignon Blanc is planted exclusively to the Musqué clone, which provides aromatic richness to the estate's white program.

• 53 acres (21.4 hectares) at the southern tip of Alexander Valley, near Chalk Hill and Knights Valley
• Soils include volcanic, river-deposited, and clay types across north-, east-, and south-facing slopes
• Cabernet Sauvignon covers 83 percent of plantings in seven clones: 337, 7, 15, 4, 169, 341, and 338
• Sauvignon Blanc planted entirely to the 100 percent Musqué clone; additional red varietals include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot

Lancaster's cellar philosophy centers on minimal intervention and careful observation at every stage. Fermentation relies on native wild yeasts, aligning with the estate's commitment to expressing site character rather than applying standardized processes. Malolactic fermentation receives weekly hand-stirring, and individual barrels are racked according to their own regimens rather than on a uniform schedule, allowing Drake and his team to respond to how each lot is developing. Aging takes place entirely in French oak for periods ranging from 18 to 26 months depending on the wine; the reserve-level Nicole's Proprietary Red, available only through the wine club, receives 24 months in 100 percent French oak. All fruit is hand-sorted before pressing, and the estate holds certification as a California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery.

• Native wild yeast fermentation across the red wine program
• Malolactic fermentation managed with weekly hand-stirring; barrels racked on individual rather than uniform schedules
• French oak aging ranges from 18 to 26 months; Nicole's Proprietary Red receives 24 months in 100 percent French oak
• Certified California Sustainable Vineyard and Winery; all fruit hand-sorted before processing

Lancaster Estate represents a focused case study in what Alexander Valley's southern edge can produce when a single winemaker has sustained creative control across more than two decades of vintages. The estate's narrow geographic footprint, insistence on estate-grown fruit, and multi-clone Cabernet program give it a level of site specificity unusual among California producers at this scale. The 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon's placement on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list affirmed that the estate's approach resonates beyond regional recognition. Within the Foley Family Wines portfolio, Lancaster functions as the precision, single-estate counterpoint to higher-volume brands, demonstrating that acquisition does not necessarily mean homogenization. For students of California wine, it offers a clear model of how terroir-specific planting decisions, sustainable viticulture, and an unbroken winemaking tenure combine to establish and maintain a coherent house identity.

• 2014 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon named to Wine Spectator Top 100, a benchmark for California Bordeaux-style blends
• Winemaker David Drake's uninterrupted tenure since 2000 provides rare continuity for a California estate that changed ownership
• Single-estate, 12,000-case production model emphasizes site specificity over volume within the broader Foley portfolio
• Seven Cabernet Sauvignon clones across varied soils and aspects offer a textbook example of intra-varietal diversity management