Past to Present
Stewardship of Place
1990 – Eisele Vineyard
We remain unwavering in our conviction that great wine begins with exceptional terroir, and that integrity in winemaking lies in allowing the wine to emerge naturally from thoughtful farming. When we purchased Eisele Vineyard in Calistoga in 1990 and founded Araujo Estate Wines, we began a long journey of learning what true stewardship and humility toward the land require.
Honoring Napa Valley
2013 – Accendo Cellars
Napa Valley is a truly remarkable community, rich with vineyard stories. In 2013, after entrusting Eisele Vineyard to new caretakers, we founded Accendo Cellars as a family, expanding our philosophy to include a carefully curated selection of Napa Valley’s Grand Cru sites. Inspired by the great Napa blends of decades past, Accendo allowed us to craft layered, expressive wines that revealed the soul of the region.
Cultivating Community
2014 – Wheeler Farms
Our Fourth Chapter
2025 – Rancho Pequeño
Rancho Pequeno is a deeply personal journey to realize and unveil the potential of our home vineyard. We have gathered a team with whom we share more than 75 years of collective experience and a deep sense of trust and shared vision: viticulturist Steve Matthiasson; Silverado Farming’s Pete Richmond and Miguel Luna; and winemakers Françoise Peschon and Maayan Koschitzky.
A Common Purpose
As our “Fourth Chapter,” Rancho Pequeño is a continuation of our commitment to produce exceptional, site-specific wine that couldn’t be possible without the stewardship, sustainability, and deep-rooted community of talented friends and colleagues we hold so dear.
People
Bart & Daphne Araujo
Founders & Proprietors
Bart and Daphne Araujo are among Napa Valley’s most respected winegrowing families, with more than 35 years of producing wines known for depth, precision, and energy. Since arriving in 1990, they have focused on expressions that honor Napa’s soul, from the treasured Eisele Vineyard at Araujo Estate (1990–2013), to the careful blending of Grand Cru sites at Accendo Cellars (2013–2025), and the multiple single-vineyard wines crafted at Wheeler Farms (2016–2024). Today, with son Greg leading the next generation, Rancho Pequeño becomes the family’s newest chapter.
“Rancho Pequeño is deeply personal to us,” says Daphne. “It reflects the lessons and values that have guided us from the beginning. It’s our home. I look at the vineyard every morning and walk it every day. We are part of its rhythm.”
Greg Araujo
Founder & General Manager
From chef whites in San Sebastián to energy sector logistics around the world, Greg has brought his creative passions and executive logistics experience to the Araujo family wine business since 2013.
After graduating from University of Colorado, Boulder, Greg completed a degree in Basque cuisine from the Escuela de Cocina de Luis Irazar and interned at several Michelin star restaurants, notably Michelin 2-star Zuberoa (now closed). He returned to San Francisco in 1998, newly married to his Spanish wife, Sofia, and pivoted his career to the energy sector, focusing on large-scale trade and logistics for the next 15 years, with roles in Switzerland, Costa Rica, Gibraltar, and Florida.
The family founded Accendo Cellars in 2013 and, in turn, Greg dedicated the next chapter of his career to leading the sales and operations for the family business. Working closely with his parents, Bart and Daphne Araujo, Greg will spearhead the family’s newest chapter, Rancho Pequeño.
Françoise Peschon
Winemaker
Françoise has been making wine for the Araujo family since 1993. Over that 32-year period, she was Winemaker for Araujo Estate (1993-2013), Consulting Winemaker for Accendo Cellars (2013-2024), and now Consulting Winemaker for Rancho Pequeno Oakville white wines. Antonio Galloni of Vinous Media has called her “One of the most influential and highly respected winemakers in Napa Valley.”
Françoise is known for her terroir-first approach and a style defined by balance, elegance, and longevity. A graduate of UC Davis with post-graduate work at the University of Bordeaux and an apprenticeship at Château Haut-Brion, she brings classical training and deep Napa familiarity. Having sourced fruit from Rancho Pequeño for many vintages, she will debut the first Sauvignon Blanc under the Rancho Pequeño label with the 2025 vintage.
Her contributions extend beyond her own ventures. Francoise also serves as a mentor, guiding and shaping the future generation of winemakers in Napa Valley. Her wisdom has influenced numerous young talents, including Elizabeth Tangney, Matilda Scott, and her own daughter, Isabelle Straka.
Maayan Koschitzky
Winemaker
Maayan joined the family’s Rancho Pequeno Oakville team in 2024.
Born and raised in Israel to a multi-generational farming family, Koschitzky trained as an engineer before applying his detail-oriented approach to winemaking. He moved to Napa Valley in 2011 and gained recognition working at Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle Vineyards before joining Atelier Melka in 2014 (the consulting company of renowned winemaker Philippe Melka). He quickly rose to director, then partner in a few short years and has contributed to many of Napa’s top wines over the past decade. His own label, La Pelle Wines was created in 2016 and is a collaboration with viticulturists Miguel Luna, and Pete Richmond.
Maayan’s stated goal is “to create terroir-driven wines, made equally in the vineyard and in the winery, that are the truest expression of their sites—wines that express freshness, bright acidity, complexity and depth.”
Steve Matthiasson
Viticulturist
The Araujo family has been working with Steve Matthiasson for 30 years, since he started viticultural consulting for Araujo Estate Wines at the Eisele Vineyard. He later served as a consultant for Accendo Cellars and for Wheeler Farms, when family-owned, and continues viticultural consulting today for Rancho Pequeno Oakville.
After receiving his M.S from UC Davis, Steve began his professional career in vineyard management in the Central Valley before relocating to the Napa Valley in 2002, where he started consulting on vineyard practices; his expertise made him a highly sought-after viticultural consultant for many historic vineyards.
In addition to his consulting practice, farming his own vineyards, and making Matthiasson Wines with his wife, Steve also finds time to teach organic viticulture at UC Davis and, through the 280 Project, making the wine industry more accessible to marginalized communities.
Pete Richmond & Miguel Luna
Silverado Farming Company
A Napa native, Pete graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in Agricultural Business. In 2001, he founded Silverado Farming Company, where Araujo Estate became one of Pete’s first clients. In 2006 Pete implemented a unique “1% for the Community” program where one percent of Silverado’s gross revenues is donated annually to areas he felt were underfunded by local government and institutions: farmworker issues and at-risk youth in Napa Valley. To date, the company has funded over $2.5M for such programs.
Miguel graduated with a Viticulture and Enology degree from UC Davis in 2014, joined Silverado Farming Company full time in 2015, becoming a partner in 2017. Since then, he has overseen all viticulture practices for the Araujo family at Rancho Pequeno. Wine Enthusiast magazine named him “Viticulturalist of the Year” in 2020 for his achievements in grapegrowing as well as his tireless mentoring of versions of himself at a younger age.
Offerings
Our wine production is limited due to the natural confines of our vineyard. Please join our Mailing List to access our releases.