crocker & starr wine company

What crocker & starr wine company does

Crocker & Starr Wine Company is a small-production estate winery in St. Helena, Napa Valley, operating on a 100-acre property of which 85 acres are planted to vine. Founded in 1997 by Charlie Crocker and Pam Starr, the winery produces limited quantities of Bordeaux-style wines including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Sauvignon Blanc. Operations are vertically integrated on the estate, with a production facility opened in 2016 supporting on-site winemaking and bottling. Distribution is intentionally constrained: the company sells almost entirely through a direct-to-consumer stack rather than broad wholesale, comprising an e-commerce site, a multi-tier wine club, on-property estate tastings priced at $95-$125 per guest, and private events hosted on the property.

The product portfolio spans single-vineyard Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings, proprietary blends, and a broader Napa Valley-designate appellation series (A.V.A.). Wine club tiers include the flagship Casali 12-bottle allocation at $1,608 per shipment, a 6-bottle tier, and RED and Quattro variants, with shipments occurring multiple times per year. Complementary distribution runs through curated luxury hospitality placements — Silversea Cruises, St. Francis Yacht Club, and Grand Bohemian Lodge properties — alongside event sponsorships at culinary gatherings such as Heritage Fire and the Festival of Undiscovered Grapes. The senior team is small (approximately ten listed), consistent with the boutique scale, and includes Founder/Winemaker Pam Starr (UC Davis-trained, 30+ years experience), Founder Charlie Crocker, and Cyrus Hazzard, elevated to Partner & President in January 2025.

The business monetizes through three interlocking channels: (1) recurring wine club revenue, which is the structural backbone and highest-margin stream, (2) on-property tasting and event revenue, which leverages the historic estate (including the 1870s Stone Building on the National Register of Historic Places), and (3) selective wholesale and hospitality placements. The DTC-heavy mix supports premium per-bottle pricing and full-margin capture but caps total addressable volume, making wine club member acquisition and retention the primary revenue lever. The company is privately held and founder-controlled, with no disclosed funding rounds or external investors referenced in the available material.

Name

crocker & starr wine company

Legal name

Crocker & Starr

Website

https://crockerstarr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Crocker & Starr Wine Company is a small-production estate winery in St. Helena, Napa Valley producing limited Bordeaux-style wines sold primarily through its wine club, estate tastings, e-commerce, and curated luxury hospitality partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Winery / Premium Napa Valley Wines

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Estate wine production
• Napa Valley winery
• Wine club membership
• Cabernet Sauvignon wines
• Direct-to-consumer wine

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Helena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Crocker & Starr sells wines directly to consumers through their e-commerce website and at the estate. They offer current releases and library wines. No minimum purchase required. Ships to all US states except MA and UT via UPS.
2. Casali Membership (Wine Club): Three shipments per year (four wines each shipment) through their wine club. Tiers include 12-bottle, 6-bottle, and 3-bottle options with red-only variants. Members receive 5-15% savings on releases and complimentary experiences.
3. Estate Tastings & Experiences: The estate offers Vineyard Experiences at $95 per guest (wine-only) or $125 per guest (elevated with cheese and charcuterie). Approximately 75 minutes. One fee waived with membership signup or six-bottle purchase.
4. Event Ticketing: Revenue from ticketed events at the estate such as Carnivus Maximus and Spring Fling, as well as participation in external events and festivals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Crocker & Starr is a Napa Valley estate winery that grows grapes on its own vineyards in St. Helena and produces small-lot, estate-grown red and white wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Sauvignon Blanc. The winery sells its wines primarily direct to consumers through an estate tasting room, an allocation-based mailing list, and the Casali Wine Club membership program.

Product overview

Crocker & Starr is a small-production winery in St. Helena, Napa Valley, producing world-class Bordeaux-style wines from its historic estate. The core product portfolio centers on Cabernet Franc (flagship), Cabernet Sauvignon (Stone Place, 1 Post, and RLC), Malbec (Casali), and Sauvignon Blanc varieties, supplemented by the Bridesmaid blend and A.V.A. appellation series wines. The company operates on a direct-to-consumer model combining an e-commerce store with wine club memberships (Casali Membership with Quattro and RED tiers offering 3, 6, or 12 bottle shipments three times yearly) and hospitality services (Estate Vineyard Experience tastings and private events). Major annual events include Carnivus Maximus and Spring Fling, with membership providing access to limited production wines, hotel partnerships, and complimentary experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Casali Membership: The Casali Membership is the winery's exclusive wine membership program offering three shipments per year of limited production estate wines with various membership levels.

Products and services

• Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Quantifiable outcome

• 12th best wine in the world according to Wine Spectator's Top 100 List
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Southbridge Napa ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred hotel partner for Casali members, located in downtown St. Helena just minutes from the estate. Offers intimate stay with quiet courtyards and relaxed atmosphere.
• Harvest InnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred hotel partner for Casali members, set in St. Helena at the heart of Napa Valley with vineyard-adjacent setting and distinctly Napa sensibility.
• Bardessono Hotel and SpaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPreferred hotel partner for Casali members in Yountville with mindful approach to hospitality and strong connection to Napa Valley's artisan community.
• ZuzuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured food purveyor at Carnivus Maximus XXVI, providing Peruvian-inspired cuisine at the harvest celebration event.
• Hog Island OystersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured food purveyor at Carnivus Maximus XXVI, providing fresh oysters for the harvest feast.
• Roman Holiday GelatominorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured food purveyor at Carnivus Maximus XXVI.
• Napa Valley CrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured food purveyor at Carnivus Maximus XXVI, providing artisan wood-fired pizzas.
• Barbecue by BiasottiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured food purveyor at Carnivus Maximus XXVI, providing slow-roasted barbecue.
• Auction Napa Valley / Collective Napa ValleycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr participates in Auction Napa Valley, one of the wine world's great annual celebrations raising funding for youth wellness initiatives across the valley. They contribute lot items such as 'The Goddess' estate Cabernet Franc.
• Emeril Lagasse Foundation - Carnivale du VinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr supports the Emeril Lagasse Foundation's annual New Orleans fundraiser celebrating food, wine, and community impact.
• Festival of Undiscovered GrapesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr participates in this festival celebrating unknown 'underdog' grapes of California wine, held in San Jose and Los Angeles.
• Heritage FireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr participates in Heritage Fire events across multiple US cities, celebrating community and bold flavors with local restaurants and chefs.
• Silversea CruisesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr hosted a wine cruise aboard Silversea Silver Dawn from Copenhagen to Norway's fjords, hosted by Pam Starr and Cyrus Hazzard.
• UC Davis Department of Viticulture and EnologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr pours at the UC Davis Alumni Wine Showcase at the Robert Mondavi Institute, connecting with the wine community and UC Davis alumni.
• St. Francis Yacht ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr participates in the St. Francis Yacht Club Vintner's Night event in San Francisco.
• Grand Bohemian LodgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCrocker & Starr participates in a wine dinner at the Grand Bohemian Lodge in Asheville, NC alongside Pride Mountain Vineyards and Schweiger Vineyards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Pahlmeyer: Premium Napa Valley producer of estate Bordeaux-style blends with a robust DTC and wine-club program. Julie Robertson (current Crocker & Starr winemaker) previously served as assistant winemaker at Pahlmeyer.
• Ladera Vineyards: Napa hillside estate producing small-lot Cabernet with strong hospitality program and DTC focus. Julie Robertson's prior hospitality tenure there provides direct operational overlap.
• Fait Main Wines: Boutique Napa Valley producer with DTC sales, hospitality, and fulfillment emphasis similar to Crocker & Starr. Jennifer Carter previously held DTC/hospitality roles there, confirming operational comparability.
• Schramsberg Vineyards: Historic Napa estate focused on sparkling and Chardonnay wines with deep DTC roots, library program, and visitor experiences on a historic property — closely paralleling Crocker & Starr's heritage- and DTC-led model.
• Morlet Family Vineyards: Boutique Napa Valley winery producing small-lot Bordeaux-style wines from select vineyards with strong critic scores and DTC allocation. Jennifer Carter's prior role there reinforces direct comparability in scale, model, and customer.
• Pride Mountain Vineyards: Family-owned Napa estate winery focused on Bordeaux-style red blends from a single mountain estate, with strong DTC and wine-club emphasis. Co-marketed alongside Crocker & Starr at Grand Bohemian Lodge events, confirming direct peer overlap.
• Araujo Estate Wines: Biodynamic Napa estate winery (Eisele Vineyard) producing small-lot Cabernet with rigorous estate farming and a strong wine-club allocation model. Jennifer Carter (Crocker & Starr's hospitality coordinator) previously worked there.
• Spottswoode Vineyard & Winery: Iconic single-estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon producer with deep DTC roots and a long waiting list. Pam Starr worked there as winemaker, and both brands share the family-owned, estate-grown, allocation-driven profile.
• Robert Craig Winery: Small-lot Napa mountain winery producing Cabernet and Chardonnay from hillside estates with strong DTC and wine-club focus. Carley Maierhofer (Crocker & Starr's enologist) previously worked there.
• Chappellet Winery: Family-owned, estate-grown Napa mountain winery producing Cabernet and Bordeaux-style blends with Pritchard Hill terroir. Comparable in estate focus, premium positioning, family ownership, and DTC emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about crocker & starr wine company