Timeline of Moffett Vineyards & Trent Moffett
1976
My parents, John and Diane Livingston, purchased 1895 Cabernet Lane in St. Helena, CA (Napa Valley) at a bank foreclosure auction. This remarkable 28-acre property features a charming farmhouse dating back to 1868 and a historic Ghost Winery built in 1883 by H.W. Helms. It’s here, at the Livingston Moffett Family home, that I grew up, starting my journey at the age of six.
1976-1983
My parents farmed the land and sold the grapes to other wineries. My btothers and I helped when we could. This picture is of me picking grapes when I was 10.
1984
Livingston, Moffett Vineyard was born.
Our first bottling of Rutherford Cabernet was made from these vines.
1990
Completion of the Cave Behind the Ghost Winery
After six years of custom crushing at other wineries, my parents moved all winemaking operations to our property. Our focus shifted from the vineyard to the cellar. By this time, I was halfway through college, witnessing my parents fulfill their dream of being the first to bring winemaking back to this land since Prohibition. I have so many amazing memories in the cave on Cabernet Lane and at the old “Ghost Winery” built by H.W. Helms.
1992-2007
FAMILY BUSINESS
My parents and I had an incredible 15+ years working together in our office located in the old barn, which was built in the 1860s. One of the beauties of the wine business is the variety of roles you take on; we spent time in the vineyards, making wine, hosting events, and traveling the country to sell and promote Livingston Moffett Wines. In 2005, my parents decided to retire and sold the winery to a wonderful Korean family, who still owns it today and produces wine under the name Dana Estate. The picture was taken in 2023 back on the old property.
2005 – 2008
The Moffett Vineyards label was born, but unfortunately, we had to drop the Livingston name due to a trademark issue with a larger winery. Our first wines included my Reserve Cabernet, Syrah, and Willow’s Blend, named after my soon-to-be-born daughter. Colleen and I still operated C&T Cellars, and in 2008, I launched a third label called Screenplay Wines. To make things even more interesting, in 2009, I started a fourth label with a couple of friends called Gauge Wines (not pictured), which was a fun hunting-themed label.
2014
MOVING TO OREGON
It was time for a thrilling new adventure! With three young kids in tow, we felt the excitement bubbling. Colleen and I have always been passionate about Pinot Noir and the breathtaking Pacific Northwest. Plus, the opportunity to afford land here was too tempting to resist, especially as Napa Valley became increasingly out of reach. We redesigned our label and took the plunge—making the move was just the beginning of this exhilarating journey!
2024
BLACKBURN ROAD
In December of 2024, we acquired a remarkable piece of land from a longtime friend from Napa Valley, who had also made the move to Portland after attending the Univ. of Oregon.
2025
BLACKBURN TASTING ROOM
By March 28th, we received our permits and broke ground on the Moffett tasting room! As I write this, we are just 18 hours away from our final inspection before officially opening to the public (by appointment only). This is an incredibly exciting time, marking the first dedicated tasting room we’ve had since I was 16 years old—40 years ago! We can’t wait to share this new venture with everyone!