History

Dr. Ernest Bates found his refuge in the Napa Valley in 1997 and inspired by the vines. "I've always enjoyed fine wine and being inspired by the vineyards on my Napa property, I decided to create one of the first African American wineries in the Valley." He saw the wine industry and the Napa Valley lifestyle to be a refreshing break from his work in the competitive world of medicine and medical supplies. So in 2000, he formed the Black Coyote label with a few close friends.

Over the last few years, Dr. Bates and his partners have followed  the latest trends in wine production. They slowly developed a plan and philosophy dedicated to producing some of the finest wines that the Napa Valley has to offer.

"This partnership is more like a fraternity, because we are friends focused on crafting special wines that reflect the greatness of the Napa Valley, California's premier grape growing region," explains Dr. Bates. "We are having fun and we are making truly wonderful wines."

Initially, they focused on making a great cabernet sauvignon. It began with sourcing cabernet grapes from Atlas Peak, an appellation known for its rocky, volcanic soils that lies north-east from Napa Valley. Even though it is fully exposed to sunlight throughout the day, our Atlas Peak vineyard sits at 1,800 feet of elevation so average temperatures are ten degrees cooler than on the Valley floor. The unique growing conditions, soil type and selected clones have helped create perfectly developed Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

Black Coyote produces 600 to 800 cases of its signature Black Coyote Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon depending on vintage. Black Coyote's prized 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is the winner of the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition's Double Gold Medal, the 2009 XVII Concurso International Gold Medal, and Gold Medal and Best of the Best in the 2009 5 th Annual Key Biscayne Wine and Food Festival.

Recently, the partners decided to introduce some white wines to their repertoire. Black Coyote's first Sauvignon Blanc is a 2008 vintage of 94 cases from the Napa Valley and Oakville appellations. They produced 100 cases of a 2009 Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast appellation and it will be released in 2011.

 vanessaVIDEO: Visiting the Vines & Tasting the Wine

The Partners

Dr. Ernest Bates is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Rochester School of Medicine. Active in leading professional medical societies, Dr. Bates has also contributed chapters to the publication, Textbook on Brain Tumors and Black Related Diseases. He is a frequent guest speaker at medical organizations and business conferences. An African American neurosurgeon, Dr. Bates is well known for his community involvement and philanthropic work. Ernest A. Bates, M.D., founder of American Shared Hospital Services, has served in the positions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since the incorporation of the Company in 1977.

Dr. Olin Robison is president and chief executive officer of the Salzburg Seminar. For 15 years, he was president of Middlebury College , and is now President Emeritus of that institution. Dr. Robison is a graduate of Baylor and Oxford Universities . Dr. Robison began his career in Washington and after 30 years of public life has advised both democratic and republican administrations on U.S. – Soviet relations. Dr. Robison has served on and chaired numerous commissions and task forces, including the United States Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. He is also active in the affairs of the Council on Foreign Relations (NY), the International Institute for Strategic Studies (London), the Institute for East-West Security Studies (NY), and the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London on whose Council (Board) he served until recently.

Jack Ruffle is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, with an MBA in finance from Rutgers University , and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has been a director of American Shared Hospital Services since 1995. He retired in 1993 as Vice-Chairman of the Board and a Director of J.P. Morgan & Co. Incorporated and Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York. He also is a Director of Bethlehem Steel Corporation; a member of the Boards of Managers of North Moore Fund, LLC and JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Fund, LLC; a Trustee of JPM Series Trust II; a Director of Trident Corp.; a Director of The Wackenhut Corporation; a Director of Wackenhut Corrections Corp; and a Trustee of The Johns Hopkins University.

Stanley S. Trotman , Jr., has been a director of American Shared Hospital Services since 1996. He retired in 2000 as a Managing Director with the Health Care Group of PaineWebber Incorporated, an investment banking firm. Mr. Trotman had been with PaineWebber Incorporated since 1995 following the consolidation of Kidder, Peabody , also an investment banking firm, with PaineWebber. He had previously co-directed Kidder, Peabody 's Health Care Group since April 1990. Formerly he had been head of the Health Care Group at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Inc. where he had been employed for approximately 22 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1965 and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1967.

Vanessa Robledo joined Black Coyote in 2008 after accomplishing quite a bit at her family’s winery. As a fourth generation grape grower in Napa and Sonoma she began working in her family vineyard at eight years old with her eight siblings. She became President of her family’s winery at 24 years old. Ms. Robledo managed to increase her family’s wine production from 100 cases in 1997 to a very healthy and thriving business producing 20,000 cases a year in 2007. In 2008, Latina Style Magazine recognized Ms. Robledo as Latina Entrepreneur of the Year. The North Bay Business Journal named her one of 2007’s leading young professionals In 2006 she was awarded the Latino Business Leadership Award given to the most influential Hispanic leaders in the Bay Area.. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors honored her as the first district recipient of the Woman of Color Humanitarian Award in 2005.