1866
William Ferdinand Detert, pursuing the promise of riches during the California Gold Rush, emigrated to the US from Germany. He literally "strikes gold."
Detert Family History
William Ferdinand Detert, known to friends and family as W.F., came to the US in 1866. He opened and operated the Argonaut Mine in Jackson, CA which he sold in 1912. W.F. transferred his income from gold mining into cattle ranches and other mining operations. From 1912 on, he owned the 22,000 acre Guenoc Ranch in Lake County as well as the Detert Ranch in Amador and El Dorado Counties and the Mayflower Gold Mine in Placer.
Our great-grandfather, Richard Detert, came to the US from Germany in 1909 at the age of 23 and eventually made his way to CA in 1926 to manage his uncle’s (W.F. Detert) various properties. Richard and our great-grandmother, Hedwig Detert (known to us as Mutti), lived in San Francisco and travelled to the Guenoc Ranch regularly. It was through these multi-day trips, prior to the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, that our great-grandmother fell in love with the Napa Valley.
W.F Detert died in 1929. Our great-grandfather, Richard Detert, died in 1951. At that time, our great-grandmother sold the Guenoc Ranch and used those proceeds to purchase 50 acres of the To Kalon Vineyard from Martin Stelling’s estate in Oakville in 1954. She renamed the property the “Detert Vineyard”.
1868
H.W. Crabb purchases farmland in Oakville and establishes To Kalon, one of the world’s premier vineyards. Between 1866 and 1891 Crabb purchases additional surrounding properties expanding To Kalon to approximately 359 acres.
1912
William Ferdinand
Detert purchases the
22,000 acre Guenoc
Ranch in Lake County.
1926
Richard and Hedwig Detert,
our great-grandparents, move
to San Francisco to manage the
mining and ranching operations
of William Ferdinand Detert.
Their love for the Guenoc
Ranch and Napa Valley is born.
1949
Martin Stelling purchased the majority of the To Kalon Vineyard in 1943 and planted what is thought to be the first Cabernet Franc in Napa Valley on the future Detert Vineyard in 1949. He also planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Johannisberg Riesling and Chenin Blanc on the property.
1954
Our great grandmother,
Hedwig (Mutti) Detert, finalizes
the purchase of the Detert
property from Caroline Stelling,
the widow of Martin Stelling.
Detert grapes are sold to
Charles Krug Winery
1966
Our grandfather, Gunther
Detert, begins selling the
Detert grapes to Robert
Mondavi Winery.
1975
Early "home" winemaking endeavors involved three generations of Deterts and instilled a love for this special vineyard and its wines.
1979
Detert East Block replanted using budwood from the original 1949 Cabernet Franc planting. Now known as the Detert Clone of Cabernet Franc.
2000
First commercial Detert vintage
made by the great grandsons of
Hedwig Detert: Tom Garrett,
John Garrett and Bill Cover. 160
cases of Cabernet Franc. The
first Detert Cabernet Sauvignon
is bottled in 2002.
2009
First vintage of Detert
East Block Cabernet Franc.
2015
First major replant in 26 years - 10 acres of Detert West Block replanted to Detert Clone Cabernet Franc, Horton Clone of Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 327 Cabernet Franc, Clone 169 Cabernet Sauvignon and Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon. An important investment in our future.