As a wine growing region, Howell Mountain has a fascinating history. Located near the town of Angwin in Napa County, Howell Mountain wineries established their reputation for top quality over a century ago. It started in the 1870s when two pioneers, Jean V. Chaix and Jean Adolf Brun, took advantage of land on Howell Mountain and started planting grapes using cuttings from the Medoc. They were rewarded when their “Nouveau Medoc” won a medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition. In the following years, W.S. Keyes, who established Liparita Vineyard in 1880, and Frederick Hess, who established La Jota Vineyard in 1898, further solidified Howell Mountain’s status by winning medals in Paris in 1900. Howell Mountain became internationally famous.