With twice the amount of property required by county regulations, Dr. Marc Cohen thought building a winery on Howell Mountain would be a snap.

The former New York urologist didn’t count on having 36 neighbors object to his small project, however. “I’d never even heard of Seventh-day Adventists,” he admitted, referring to the many residents of his neighborhood whose religion prohibits the drinking of wine.

Like most doctors, however, Cohen isn’t easily discouraged. He set out to persuade those who signed the petition to change their minds — and eventually convinced them to accept the 1,200-case winery.

The initial problem with neighbors was only one of many obstacles he encountered in planting grapevines and creating a wine brand. His experiences were so challenging, in fact, that the industry magazine Wines & Vines published a six-part series outlining the process to inform others who might want to establish a small winery. “I was told on several occasions that I wouldn’t be able to do it,” said Cohen, clearly proud that he persevered.

Cohen’s love of wine began when he was still a new resident in Manhattan in 1971, and he became an avid collector. Of course, he started out with Mateus and Zeller Schwartz Katz like most newcomers in those days, but soon developed a more sophisticated palate.

He started practicing urology in 1973 and established his own practice in Manhattan in 1977, eventually with four physicians. He also became a clinical professor of urology with New York University Medical School and participated in the FDA clinical trials of Viagra as a member of the medical advisory board of Pfizer.

While he was practicing medicine, however, a pharmaceutical company invited him to a meeting at Sonoma Mission Inn, and that was his awakening. “I decided I had to come here,” he said.

In 1985, he met Jan Shrem, the owner of Clos Pegase, and they became fast friends. “He was my mentor,” said Cohen, who also helped Shrem find an apartment in Manhattan.

 “Jan convinced me to do it (start a winery) in Napa, and I had that dream for 15 years.”

He visited Napa, often staying with Jan and Mitsuko Shrem as he researched the process, took classes in wine at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena and looked for property.

In 1999, he retired from general practice and used the opportunity to get his masters degree in management from New York University; by then, he knew he wanted to get in the wine business and wanted to be prepared.

In July 2000, he found what he was looking for: a 20-acre ranch planted with apple and walnut orchards in Angwin. It included a 1920 brick farm house and a California ranch house from the ‘70s.

He bought the land, figuring, “It was zoned for agriculture. I thought that allowed me to engage in agriculture.” He intended to fell some of the trees and plant part of the land.

He soon learned that things weren’t that simple.

 “I had to learn the rules,” he says. “I didn’t understand that planting grapes wasn’t like growing tomatoes.”

He ended up hiring many consultants, then replaced the 3 1/2-acre orchard, which was on level ground, with vines as allowed by regulations. He hired Davie Piña, one of the valley’s most respected vineyard management firms, to plant and manage the vines.

 “I didn’t have any problems with neighbors until I applied for a use permit,” he said.

He wanted to plant four more acres, but this was on a gentle slope and covered with native trees, not fruit.

He invited all the neighbors over to an open house to tell them what he was doing but only four attended — and they weren’t among the 36 who objected.

Eventually, Cohen tried to meet with each one and explain what he was doing. “I went door to door and talked to my neighbors. I tried to convince them that I wouldn’t harm the property — or theirs.”

He eventually succeeded. He applied for a permit to plant the plant in 2002, though he didn’t get permission until 2004.

He also hired Aaron Potts, then the winemaker at St. Clement, to make his wine. Potts made a barrel of the 2003 (25 cases) but it was never released.

In 2004, Potts joined Quintessa, replacing Sarah Gott, who quit and started raising a new family. She didn’t want to work full time, but agreed to take over the winemaking at Cohen’s winery. She made the 2004 wine, then became too busy and Tim Milos, the assistant winemaker at Girard, took over. Gott continues as a consultant.

Cohen named his venture “Howell at the Moon,” and had a designer create a label showing his Jack Russell terrier howling at the moon. The 2004 wine, 100 percent cabernet sauvignon from the estate, will be released in August.

He’s doing all his own marketing and sales; he took courses at Napa Valley College in marketing as well as grape growing to help him. He also invested in hot Myth Restaurant in San Francisco and developed its wine program, which has also helped him learn the business. The program is managed by Alex Fox, a former educator at Niebaum-Coppola (now Rubicon Estate).

Cohen is now building the small winery he worked so hard to enable. “People ask, ‘Why build a winery for only 1,200 cases; why not make the wine at another winery?’”

Yet he’s found it frustrating to make the wine elsewhere, and thinks there may be a demand to make wine for others at his facility, too. It has a permit for 12,000 gallons, more than he can produce from his property. “I might also make a second label with purchased grapes.”

With more than $3 million invested beyond the cost of the property, Cohen admitted that the venture may seem irrational to some observers. “You can’t depend on the income from selling grapes or wine. You have to have other sources of income to do this.”

Ultimately, he said, “The only way to recover your investment is to sell the property,” another reason to build the winery as it’s becoming more difficult to do so.

 “In spite of the costs and challenges, I would do it again,” said Cohen. “It gets in your blood!”