Winemaking Update

Every February the Napa Valley Vintners hold a wine auction for the trade called Premiere Napa Valley. Wineries throughout the valley produce one-of-a-kind wine lots for the auction which are bid on by retailers and restaurateurs from all over the world. Because the lots are made in such small quantities, and are only available via auction, they are known as some of the world’s rarest wines. This year I was the Chair of Premiere Napa Valley’s steering committee, and I was struck by how seriously vintners take the directive to produce truly unique lots. At the tasting prior to the auction, the array of wines was stunning.

Pine Ridge’s lot for Premiere was called Whorl’s Focus. The wine, a 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, is an homage to the way our Circle Hill Vineyard in the Stags Leap District appears from above, with concentric circles of vines that resemble a thumbprint. It is a barrel selection from a small block which typically forms the backbone of FORTIS.

What’s exciting for club members is that Whorl’s Focus foreshadows four new vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignons we’re producing at Pine Ridge, all from the Stags Leap District. We’ll release two from the 2019 vintage, one from our Circle Hill Vineyard along the Silverado Trail and another from our Locked Horns Vineyard, which is adjacent to the historic and revered FAY Vineyard. From the 2021 vintage we plan to add Cabernets from our estate vineyard around the winery and another site in the northern part of the AVA.

While we wait for the release of these new wines, take a moment to consider the 2016 Onyx in your shipment. While it isn’t a vineyard designate, it is sourced from our vineyards in the Stags Leap District, the first Onyx to be produced exclusively from these properties. We always aim for Onyx to be a wine that reflects its name, with deep, dark color, powerful fruit and immense concentration. We get all that and more from our Stags Leap vineyards, and the 2016 Onyx offers a glimpse of what our future vineyard designated wines will offer.

I should say that while Premiere Napa Valley wines are purchased by the trade, the retailers and restaurants that buy them most often turn around and sell them to their customers. If you’re interested, ask your fine wine retailer or favorite restaurant’s sommelier if they stock Premiere wines. I encourage you to try them…you’ll be treated to a once-in-a-lifetime wine experience!

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

 Viticulture Update

In the vineyards we’ve begun the process of replanting our Dos Olivos Vineyard in the Oakville AVA. The vines at this site range from about 12 to 30 years old, but because the plants are performing poorly due to viruses we need to pull them out. We’ll replant the vineyard in three phases over the next several years. After the 2021 harvest we removed a 14-acre block of vines, and now we’re preparing the soil.

The first step of soil prep, as we call it, is to analyze the soils. We dig deep pits with a backhoe, about one pit per acre, approximately three to four feet deep. In the lab we look at what kinds of minerals and organic matter are in the soils, how they hold water and what kinds of nutrients they need. This helps us determine the amendments we need to add, and if we need to install drain tiles in the soils for better drainage. Soil prep is not an inexpensive undertaking, but it’s crucial for the long-term health and quality of the vineyard. We’ll plant rootstock in this block next year, but for now, it’s all about the dirt.

Gustavo Aviña
Viticulture Director

Member Experience Lead – Amber Archer

We are excited to introduce you to our Member Experience Lead, Amber Archer. Many of you may recognize Amber from visiting our tasting room and we’re excited for her transition to the wine club team. Born and raised in the Midwest, Amber began her career in hospitality through the food and beverage scene in 2009, which led to wide travels always centered on her favorite part of the F&B scene: wine.

Amber first travelled to Napa in 2016 and came back once a year before finally deciding to call it home as of 2021. After wrapping up a couple years of teaching in the hospitality department at a local university back home, she feels extremely excited to be entering this new venture in the hospitality industry. Amber says, “I’ve always loved creating memorable experiences for others in all aspects of the industry, but I’ve really found joy in connecting with our members and creating even more memorable experiences through some truly excellent wine and our guests who love it.”