Palmaz Vineyards was founded by Amalia and Julio Palmaz, who bought their estate in the hills east of Napa in 1997. The land has deep roots: it was once the Cedar Knoll Vineyard Company, founded in 1881 by Henry Hagen, before it was abandoned after Prohibition and later restored by the Palmaz family. The estate is best known for its extraordinary winery, carved into Mount George. About 100,000 square feet of tunnels and domes cut into living rock allow the wines to be made entirely by gravity, without pumps. The centerpiece is a fermentation dome 72 feet across and 54 feet high, kept naturally at about 60 degrees. Cabernet Sauvignon is the family's flagship wine, grown on the estate's hillside vineyards around the winery. A visit to the cave is one of the most memorable experiences in Napa Valley. It is a strong stop for anyone curious about how wine engineering can serve the vineyard.