Where it all started…

Meet Mike and Kara

When Mike and Kara Dunn decided to launch Retro Cellars in 2003, they wanted to honor the history of the vineyards as well as that of their family's foundations in the Napa Valley wine industry. Mike’s family started Dunn Vineyards on Howell Mountain in 1978, the same year Kara’s family began Pecota Winery in Calistoga. When Mike and Kara met, they shared similar stories of growing up in the Napa Valley of the 1970’s, a community of humble farmers.

What's In A Name

They chose the Retro name to pay homage to the generational groundwork that’s been laid for their endeavor, with a vision for continuity in the future illustrated by the artwork on the label, which came from the hand of their then 11-year-old son, Alex. Alex, now 28, a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute, part-time cellars hand at Dunn Vineyards and Retro Cellars and a hiking & biking trail builder in Napa and Sonoma counties.