Terra Valentine sources from Spring Mountain whose varied terrain shines through in the robust yet balanced style of the wines–exhibiting the true essence of the Spring Mountain District. While mountain viticulture presents its challenges, for Terra Valentine, it comes down to hand-tending the vines to get the most out of the diverse soil types and ripening patterns that the mountain bears. The reward–wines ripe with intense flavor and color.
Spring Mountain District
Spring Mountain District was one of the first appellations in Napa Valley to receive notoriety as a grape growing region with documented grape plantings dating back to 1874. The area experienced its first boom in the 1880s when Jacob and Frederick Beringer planted a vineyard on Spring Mountain. The region experienced a decline between 1910 to 1940 due to the onset of phylloxera and Prohibition, but bounced back in the ’50s with the launch of the Stony Hill Winery in 1953.
Bales Creek Vineyard
Sam has been working with this Spring Mountain estate on and off since the 2001 vintage. It’s a great story and we can’t wait to tell you more about it, but suffice to say, the wine in the bottle tells most of it! Sam describes it as having Wurtele Vineyard power with Yverdon Vineyard finesse. We can’t wait for our loyal Club Valentine members to be the first to try the 2022 Bales Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.In addition to the Bales Creek Vineyard release, we will be highlighting some of your favorite Terra Valentine showstoppers, the 2022 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Franc & 2022 Marriage. These two wines carry on the legacy and stellar reputation of our singular version of the Cabernet Franc and the magic of Sam’s blending skill in the Marriage.
Fountaingrove
We source Cabernet Sauvignon from a very special vineyard on Spring Mountain, located about 1 mile from the Napa County line at 1800 feet elevation in the Mayacama mountain range. Just west of the Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley, on the Fountaingrove District side of the mountain. Closer to the coast than Spring Mountain Ranch, this vineyard shows off that older world cabernet character. Holds on to the nuance and elegance that mountain cabernet can hold onto. -Sam Baxter, Winemaker and Proprietor