In 1903, Joseph Pelissa arrived in Napa Valley from Liguria, Italy, purchased 35 acres of land, and started farming. More than 120 years later, his descendants are still working the same valley — now stewarding over 1,000 acres across Oakville and Yountville, all farmed 100% certified organic since 1991.
The family spent most of that century as one of Napa's most respected behind-the-scenes growers, quietly supplying fruit to some of the valley's most acclaimed producers. In 1993, Andrew Hoxsey — Joseph's great-grandson — purchased the historic Oakville facility now known as Napa Wine Company, the original Bonded Winery No. 9 in California, founded in 1877. In the mid-2000s, the family stepped into the spotlight with their own labels: Ghost Block, Oakville Winery, and Elizabeth Rose. Ghost Block represents the pinnacle — single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the family's four finest organically-farmed estate vineyards.
