Chalone Vineyard’s Soledad winery in Monterey has been closed, but the brand lives on. Owner Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) confirmed to Wine Spectator that the company will continue to produce Chalone wines from grapes grown in its vineyards in Monterey and Chalone, but the wine will be made at other Foley wineries. A Chalone tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea that was opened in 2023 remains in operation.
Shawn Schiffer, FFWS president, says the move is part of an adjustment to the current state of the wine industry. “Like many California wineries, FFWS experienced challenging business results due to the broad downturn in our industry in 2025. In an effort to reduce costs, we made the difficult decision to close our Soledad facility.” He adds that FFWS is also modifying the hours at two other tasting rooms—Roth in Healdsburg and Foley Estates in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County—to focus on private experiences, wine clubs, reservations and events. “We will continue to produce these great brands as part of our estate wines and spirits portfolio.”
The move comes after several years of slipping wine sales across the industry. E. & J. Gallo just announced that it is closing a large winery facility used for multiple brands in Napa Valley and laying off more than 90 staffers at multiple facilities in Napa and Sonoma. Several small wineries have shut down in the past two years.
A One-Of-A-Kind Location
The Chalone winery is notoriously isolated, a remote destination roughly three hours by car from San Francisco. It sits at 1,800 feet elevation, bordering the remnants of a volcanic field and the jagged mountains of the Pinnacles National Park. Vines were first planted in the limestone and volcanic soils in 1919, and Philip Togni first made wine under the Chalone label in 1960.
Chalone’s modern history began when vintner Richard Graff purchased the 160-acre vineyard in 1965. Located on the property was a rustic, chicken coop-turned-winery not connected to water, electricity or telephone. The only power came from a generator.
Under Graff’s leadership, improvements were made and Chalone earned legendary status among California producers, particularly for its Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc from historic vines. Graff was known for his passion and curiosity.
The Chalone Vineyards 1974 Chardonnay placed third in the famed 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting. In 1982, the Chalone appellation was established.
Growth and Change
A large part of Chalone’s success was its engagement with its customers and fans, many of whom became shareholders. The Chalone Wine Group became the first major California wine company to be publicly traded, in 1984. Annual shareholder meetings were known for the rowdy “bacchanals” at the property.
The company expanded to include Acacia, Carmenet and Edna Valley Vineyard, as well as Washington’s Canoe Ridge and Sagelands. Graff died in 1998 at the age of 60 while flying his single-engine airplane alone.
From there, the brand lost some of its acclaim and changed hands twice. Diageo purchased it in 2004. Foley added it to their portfolio in 2016. Today the brand is focused on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Pinot Blanc, including estate bottlings.
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