RIP Travis Fretter - pioneer of East Bay urban winemaking

I just heard about the recent passing of Travis Fretter this morning. He was one of the pioneers of modern urban winemaking in the East Bay with his winery on Camelia Street in West Berkeley in the 1970s. His Fretter Wine Cellars Leaky Lake Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons in particular are legendary, and he also produced a Pinot Noir from fruit grown within a stone’s throw of his West Berkeley winery - photos below. He bought that building on Camelia Street, and it was the focal point of Berkeley winemaking for years, with labels including Edmunds St. John, Grapeleaf Cellars, Eno Wines, Harrington Wines, Ladd Cellars, Lusu Cellars, and others producing wines there. I learned about making wine in that building and worked part-time for wineries there, and it was always enjoyable when Travis stopped in - which he did often - to see what everyone was doing. He was knowledgeable about so many things and such fun to talk with. He’ll be missed by many in the East Bay wine scene and beyond. R.I.P.

Travis Fretter Obituary (2021) - Berkeley, CA - San Francisco Examiner


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RIP Travis - the only wine I’ve had is the 1984 Cab you pictured. Was fortunate enough to find a batch at auction five years ago, and to be honest, I had no clue of the wine or winemaker at the time, but purchased as the price was good and 1984 is our Anniversary year. Once purchased, I researched and came across the interesting backstory of Travis and the advent of his urban winery and association with the others you referenced.

Although I have no clue how or where they were stored the prior 30 years, the bottles were in good shape. They have shown from very good to outstanding, although the one bottle I brought to a group tasting got lost in a flight of a couple of amazing old Tognis. Lucky to have two left and not in a hurry to drink them. I haven’t been able to pin down exactly where in Napa Valley the fruit came from, although one article referenced it may have been near Togni. If you, or anyone happens to know, hope you will chime in on that.

One odd fact, each of the bottles had the most incredible sediment - solid, thin sheets. Looked like pieces of burned paper which were still intact when the wine was all poured out. I’ll have to try to go back and find the history of the Leaky Lake Cab again. Certainly an interesting wine from an interesting man. Sad to hear of his passing.
1984 Fretter Cab.jpg

I believe the vineyard is in the Spring Mountain area but not sure. It has a different name now but don’t know what it is.

One of my favorite cabs when I started my wine journey. I didn’t know he was the man behind the Camellia Street winery. So many great wines have come out of that tiny space.

RIP

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from the Cultivar winery web site : “Napa Valley Cabernet from the Leaky Lake Vineyard. Perched in the hills above Rutherford with dense, clay soil”. it seems most likely on the west side of Napa Valley since it is described as being next to Caspar Estate and formed in the Mayacamas Mountain range.
https://shop.cultivarwine.com/the-leaky-lake-vineyard-a-decade-of-cabernet-excellence/
i bought a case of the 1994 wine on an expedition to a mom and pop wine store in the East Bay on release. powerful is an understatement for this enjoyable wine. we all thought it was the best zinfandel ever from the cabernet grape.
Mr Fretter did good… in this and many adventures.

I remember him from when he worked for a company called Wine Action back in the '70s…one of the more overeducated group of wine salesmen there ever was.

Thank you for your kind words about Dad and his winemaking.
We made that once delicious, complex, St Helena Cabernet Suavignon from grapes on a South East facing slope up near the top of Whitehall Lane.

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-Sophia🍇
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Thanks for the head’s up, Ken. Never met Travis but had several of his LL Cabs. Very old-timely Calif Cab. I think SteveEdmunds shared several with me over the yrs.
Tom

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Sophia - thank you for the feedback on the vineyard location. A great area! Sorry I didn’t get to meet your Father or visit the urban winery, but love the '84 Cabernet and glad to know more of the backstory.

Cheers, [cheers.gif]

Steve

Weimax wines In Burlingame once proposed a group of winery mergers. My favorite was Leakey Lake merging with Congress Springs (now savannah Chanel) with the result being called Congress Springs a Leak.