Our Vineyards
Terra Valentine is blessed with two vineyards, Wurtele and Yverdon, that capture the best of Spring Mountain District winegrowing. Both vineyards have been farmed using sustainable practices since 2001. As of 2008, the Yverdon vineyard has been organically farmed. The vineyards are distinguished by a diversity of mountain terrain and vines that are well adapted to the environment. While the mountain sites present challenges; including accessibility, diversity of soils, ripening, and hand labor, they reward the effort in wine filled with intense flavor and color.Wurtele Vineyard
The Wurtele Vineyard consists of 35 vineyard acres planted in Cabernet Sauvignon at an average elevation of about 1,000 feet. It was planted by the Walt Raymond family in 1990. Farmed using sustainable practices since the beginning, the Wurtele Vineyard's management program is designed to minimize its impact on the environment. The vineyard is unusual in that exposures are circular around a knoll of a mountain.
This formation provides a variety of vine orientations and intensities of tannin. The vineyard has 14 blocks, which are typically harvested in 18-20 different lots. Two-thirds of the vineyard is terraced. Three-quarters of the trellises are Vertical Shoot Positioning, and one-quarter are Geneva Double Curtain. Yverdon Vineyard
Planting of this 30-acre vineyard began in 2001. The vineyard ranges in elevation from 1,800 to 2,100 feet and is planted primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon. It is also home to smaller plantings of other Bordeaux blending grapes, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot; as well as Syrah and Riesling. Nine of the 30 acres were planted in 2001. Cultivation of the remaining 21 acres started in 2006, with full production expected by the end of 2009. The 50 acres of land surrounding the vineyard will remain native habitat.Since 2007, after the addition of long-time vineyard manager and goat-herder,Armando Hernandez, the Yverdon vineyard has been managed in-house. Beginning in 2008 the vineyard was transitioned into an organic vineyard. Terra Valentine does not use any pesticides, nor any chemical, synthetic fertilizers and fungicides. Instead organic compost is used after harvest and plush crop cover can be found growing thick between the rows during the winter months. Planting legume cover crop, such as purple vetch and clover, helps to transfer nitrogen from our atmosphere to the vines. Armando's goat herd (30 head) can be found grazing throughout the vineyard, acting as a natural herbicide for weed control until budbreak. In addition to the goats, chickens are used as natural pesticide control.
Organically growing the grapes at Terra Valentine spans beyond the use of any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, but also emobodies a way of farming that keeps the overall environment and sustainable future of our Napa Valley a priority. Surrounded by 50 acres of wilderness, the vineyard team needs to pay not only attention to the vineyard, but to the forest and soils as well. The vineyards and mountain brush are intertwined in a symbiotic relationship that can be very complicated to track.
Winemaker and general manager, Sam Baxter, expects the new vineyard to begin to regulate itself more naturally over the long-term, without synthetic doses of nitrogen, which can throw off a vines metabolism. According to Sam,"By forcing the vines to thrive in a more natural environment, vines regulate themselves leading to a hopefully earlier ripening in the season and better flavor development."
The diversity of mountain terrain demands that the Terra Valentine team maintain an intimate relationship with the two vineyards. Their attentive approach to grapegrowing is a combination of old-world craft and new-world technology. For example, crews hand-leaf the vines throughout the growing season to maximize sunlight penetration in some areas and leave the full canopy to prevent sunburn in others. While a computer-based weather station monitors climatic conditions, tracking mildew pressure and unusual temperatures. In addition, because the Spring Mountain soil lacks fertility, the team must constantly monitor vine nutrient status.
The two vineyards share the climate and soil characteristics of the Spring Mountain District. The climate is classified as Region II, with more extreme temperature ranges, cooler days and warmer nights, than the valley floor. Unlike other Napa hillsides, Spring Mountain District receives cool afternoon winds from the Pacific Ocean, and is cooler than nearby Howell Mountain. The climate produces an unusually long growing season and long hang-time for the fruit. Harvest typically occurs in October, six to eight weeks behind the floor of the Napa Valley.
Winemaking with Mountain Intensity
Terra Valentine is distinguished by more than an intriguing past. The winemaker's goal is to make exceptional Spring Mountain District estate-produced Cabernet Sauvignon. Equipped with 15 automated punch-down fermentation tanks, Terra Valentine is able to achieve high-quality, gentle extraction of their red grapes in an efficient and controlled environment. This method, previously available on small lots only, has been implemented on a larger scale. The result is a more uniform extraction of the cap (the layer of grape skins formed during fermentation), which means more color and pleasing flavors in the wine.
State-of-the-art technology enables Winemaker Sam Baxter to take Cabernet production to the next level. But his modern approach is tempered with respect for tradition. "I feel strongly that the old way of making wine could in some ways be better than trying to over-think too much of the process," he said.
This balance is especially important when addressing the unique challenges of mountain winemaking. "There are a lot of tannins and intensity in mountain fruit, and I think there is a tendency in mountain vineyards to over-extract," explained Baxter. "We're trying to develop a more balanced wine. The reward is producing a wine with intensity that is elegant and approachable. That's what mountain fruit can give you when it's reined in properly."
Once Baxter has coaxed a balanced juice from the grapes, the wine goes to barrels for aging. The winery's stone and concrete construction and hillside location provide naturally cool temperatures and high humidity for the storage of 2,000 wine barrels. Picking up where Mother Nature leaves off, a new cooling and humidification system also has been installed.
Drinking well now
2007 Amoré
Super-Tuscan Style Sangiovese
$35.00
2006 Russian River Valley
Pinot Noir
$38.00
2008 Russian River Valley
Viognier
$30.00