Retro Cellars was founded in 2003 by Mike and Kara Dunn of Dunn Vineyards and longtime natives of the Napa Valley wine industry. When they decided to make a wine of their own, apart from the well-known family winery run by their Dad, Randy, they knew that they wanted to honor the history of the vineyard as well as their family’s foundations in the Napa Valley wine industry. The historic Park Muscatine vineyard on Howell Mountain was chosen in part because Mike has known this vineyard since his childhood, pruning the vineyard in winter, and harvesting the fruit in the fall.

With its scant one ton per acre production, this vineyard is a true gem and one of the tried-and-true Grand Cru sites for Petite Sirah in California. Their current production includes two Petite Sirahs, one from the historic Park Muscatine Vineyard on Howell Mountain, and a second, a Napa Valley Petite Sirah from the valley floor. Their wines embody the concept of “terroir” - a wine’s expression of the place of origin in the bottle - as well as an old-world winemaking style that Mike learned from his father, Randy. That is to say, deep, powerful, brooding and age worthy.

They chose the Retro name to pay homage to the generational groundwork that’s been laid for their endeavor, both to the past and to the future as well. Their son Alex, who holds a degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, did all the artwork for the label. He is also a part-time cellar hand at both Dunn Vineyards and Retro Cellars.