Our approach to vineyard-fruit sourcing is simple. Find, develop and farm the best blocks in Napa Valley that will provide us with the finest fruit anywhere. Under this directive, we have made Howell Mountain our home property, which is surrounded by the dramatic hillside vineyards of Las Posadas that give life to our striking Bordeaux-style blends. When added to the brilliance of extraordinary cabernet from coveted parcels on Pritchard Hill, amidst Oakville’s To Kalon, and Coombsville’s Caldwell Vineyard, along with stunning chardonnay from Bald Mountain, and the Charles Heintz Vineyard in Occidental, our resulting portfolio of exceptional vineyard blocks present an unrivaled palette deserving of Philippe Melka’s deft winemaking talents and artistry. Among these vineyards, for our:
Cor Leonis Cabernet
Draws its prized fruit from Oakville's heralded To Kalon Vineyard, Pritchard Hill, and Caldwell Vineyard's legendary Block-15 – whose vines have flourished in the rocky, volcanic soils of the heralded Coombsville District for over 30 years.
Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon
Much of the fruit for this wine was sourced from the Caldwell Vineyard in Coombsville, an area of southeast Napa Valley where soils are characterized by a unique blend of red volcanic soils and clay. The vineyard is planted on a gently sloping plateau, and the comparatively temperate climate of the area, versus the warmer territory up valley, serves to lengthen the growing season. The grapes are allowed to achieve full ripeness without the pressure of heat extremes common in warmer areas, and low vigor soils throughout the vineyard create small, dense clusters.
Howell Mountain
Hillside Blend
The grapes for this celebrated wine are secured from coveted vineyard blocks located in an east-facing hillside Howell Mountain vineyard perched 2000 feet above the Napa Valley floor. The terraced vineyard is planted on an extreme slope, producing thick-skinned clusters capable of creating a wine with intensity, structure, elegance, and weight.
Napa Valley
Chardonnay
Bald Mountain, a neighbor of Mount Veeder, is situated in the Mayacamas Mountains on the western border of the Napa Valley. The south-facing vineyard sits at nearly 1600 feet above sea level, and offers stunning views of both the Sonoma and Napa Valleys, as well as of Marin's Mt. Tamalpais to the south. Cool sunshine is abundant throughout the growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly while varietal character evolves completely.
Sonoma Coast
Chardonnay
The backbone of this wine hails from the Charles Heintz Vineyard located in Occidental, near the rocky Sonoma County coastline. The 30-year-old Chardonnay vines are planted on deep, desirable Gold Ridge Sandy Loam top-soils – to which many attribute the unique varietal expression shown by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grown in the Sonoma Coast and Russian River appellations. The nearby Pacific brings deep and cooling fog over the vineyard nightly during the growing season, encouraging patient ripening and the development of delicate flavors.
Paige Cuvée
Chardonnay
The Ritchie Vineyard, located in the Russian River Valley, is widely recognized as one of the best chardonnay vineyards in California. Coastal breezes and cool morning fog, combined with the unique soil profile of Goldridge, small pebbles and a layer of volcanic ash allows this vineyard to showcase grapes of rare intensity and complexity.
Palisades
Petite Sirah
The historic Palisades Vineyard is located directly below the high cliffs of the Palisades in a narrow riparian canyon, one mile north of the town of Calistoga. Petite Sirah has been the dominant grape on the property since the vineyards were first developed by Domenico Barberis, although the family grew other varietals as well. In approximately 1915, Domenico built a winery on the site bonded as Bonded Winery No. 118. Domenico maintained his bonded status until 1932, losing it 10 months before the end of Prohibition. The old winery still stands. The Barberis family farmed the property until the early 1990s. Today, 11.3 acres of the old vine, head trained Petite Sirah are dry farmed in the tradition of the original farm.
