First established by Robert and Nancy Latourette Bagnall in 1964, our 40 acre property was part of a larger parcel purchased by neighbors and family friends of the Bagnalls, all from Belvedere in Marin County. Robert’s connection with grapes stems back to his Great-Grandfather, Captain Albert Hatt who immigrated from Germany (then Prussia) to the Napa Valley in the 1860’s. This connection to Germany gave Robert a fascination with aromatic white grape varietals and in 1973, and this motivated him to plant 4 Acres of Gewurtztraminer.

Many years later, the Bagnalls were looking to spend less time in Philo and they decided to sell their vineyard property and house. Heartbroken, their 14-year-old grandson Michael Green went to his paternal grandparents, Donald & Maureen Green, and asked them if they might be interested in purchasing the property. Surprisingly, Donald and Maureen agreed and generously made the property, house, and vineyards part of their legacy to Michael in 1994. Donald and Maureen were also generous enough to invest in the property, and in 1997 contracted Jim Barbour from Napa Valley to plant 12 acres of Pinot Noir vineyards.

With many growing seasons and time spent at the property his entire life, Michael now owns the vineyard property with his wife Wendi Green, their son Weston, and poodle Abby.  Michael now works in the wine business while managing Elswick Vineyards.

Celebrating the history of Michael’s Grandfather Donald Green’s roots in England, the vineyards were named after the street on which he was born near the docks of River Mersey in Liverpool.  Elswick Street has a storied history dating back to the 1850’s, and is a symbol of his journey from England to America in the early 1960’s to achieve his American dream as an Engineer and Entrepreneur.