JOHN WAYNE AMERICAN

THE GENUINE ARTICLE

America’s Duke was tough, honorable, ready to laugh and share a drink, and always ready to do what men had to in order to see justice done. He didn’t ask you to like him. He asked you to live up to him.

From small-town Iowa to Hollywood stardom, John Wayne’s life story is one for the books. Some of his greatest roles were the ones he played off the silver screen supporting causes important to him and spending time with his family and friends.

Wayne Family Estate is dedicated to making wines that inspire like the life of The Duke who pursued the American dream through hard work and determination. These unique traits can be found in each bottle of our handcrafted wines produced at our historic winery on the Silverado Trail in Calistoga, Calif. – Napa Valley.

Join us in celebrating The Genuine Article with each glass of amazing wine and support the John Wayne Cancer Foundation bringing courage, strength and grit to the fight against cancer.

Cogburn Reserve - 2023 Pinot Noir - Russian River Valley

John Wayne’s love of Western themes was not about simply promulgating an image. He really loved the West. His heartfelt belief was that America’s frontier was, back in the day, a place of wide-open spaces where pioneering acts of heroism and adventure occurred in pursuit of a better life. He found such notions enchanting, romantic, and inspiring.

In True Grit (1969), he played a drunken, foul-tempered but endearing U.S. Marshal named Rooster Cogburn, who becomes an unlikely hero when he helps a young girl avenge the murder of her father. He liked the character so much that he made his only sequel, Rooster Cogburn (1975). John Wayne’s Oscar for True Grit in 1970 was a long-overdue reward for one of America’s icons. The painting of John Wayne as Cogburn on this elegant and bold Pinot Noir was created by western actor and artist Buck Taylor – a close friend of the Wayne family.

The 2023 vintage will be remembered for its cool conditions throughout the summer and into harvest, shaping a beautifully expressive Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. Layered aromas of blackberry, baking spices, cranberry, cardamom, anise, and floral rose burst forth on the nose, while zingy cherry juice, cola nut, black tea, pomegranate, and hints of lemon zest unfold on the palate of this lush round Pinot that is braced by bright acidity.