A Letter from the Owners
the Winery remains Open for Business

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Greetings and well wishes from Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards

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By now many of you may have heard some version of a story reporting that Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards has been sold to Saratoga's Madronia Cemetery. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards is a corporate business formed in 1994 and renamed Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards in 1996 (by owners Michael and Kellie Ballard after our two young daughters). From that day on, the vineyard and winery business has leased the property, on which it operates, from the Ballards, the land owners.

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Conveying with the Ballard's 1996 purchase of the property was a historical legacy of ranching and farming and family which began years before Pierre and Eloi Pourroy planted the first grapes in 1892. The Ballards have never been more than the custodians of this beautiful, spiritual land that has been integrated into the greater Saratoga community for many generations. This responsibility has always been at the forefront of the Ballard’s care and concern for the property and we spent decades considering how best to preserve this uniquely blessed land.

 

Two years of draconian Covid restrictions, followed by two catastrophic years of landslide closures tested all of us. Visitors, Members, Employees, Neighbors, Commuters, and our resident Families struggled together to do whatever we could to preserve our shared love of this property. Covid is over, the highway and driveway are rebuilt and open, and the time has come to restore the vitality and pleasures found at Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards.

 

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

 

As we came to understand the mission and duty that Saratoga’s Madronia Cemetery observes and administers on behalf of the community, we recognized a kindred spirit that shared and understood the very long game needed to preserve and protect the future. We found a partner whose vision and sensibilities aligned with our desire to insure that the property we labored for decades to preserve, would remain in its beautiful, natural condition and accessible to the community for posterity.

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Initiation of the new owner’s operation is at least 15 to 20 years in the future. Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards is now preserving the property for its new owners, and our operations will be unchanged as we continue caretaking for the property for many years to come.

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Grateful to all who have supported and stood by us through the last several years of trials, we welcome everyone back to help celebrate Savannah-Chanelle’s Renaissance.

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We welcome back old friends and look forward to making new ones. We’ll see you all soon!

 

Michael and Kellie Ballard

Proprietors

Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards

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