Intention

When we began looking for vineyard partners in Napa Valley we knew that we wanted to produce a wine from Saint Helena. It is here that the wine industry really took shape, first with Charles Krug taking Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings from Agoston Hararszthy at Buena Vista.

Saint Helena’s location up-valley makes for warm days with cooling effects in the evening from the chalk hill gap through the Mayacamas to the west and the San Pablo bay to the south.

Cabernet grown here does not struggle to get ripe and produces mouth filling, rich fruited wines framed well with acidity and tannin. Saint Helena’s valley floor is Napa Valley’s work horse, the backbone of many of our favorite wines from the region.

Napa Valley was shaped by Charles Krug’s ambition, carrying on what Haraszthy started in Sonoma, and the industry has emerged as a result of his work.  The name Next Episode aims to capture the multigenerational nature of improvement, precision and growth that has made Napa what it is today, as well as our own pursuit to be part of the next generational wave of vintners that build on the foundational legacy of Napa Valley. Hope you’re ready for the next episode.

Vineyard

Wolf Family Vineyard is located on the Southern edge of St. Helena’s valley floor, almost exactly in the middle of the Mayacamas to the west and the Vaca range to the east, at one of the Valley’s most narrow points.

This results in a combination of alluvial and gravelly soils, all extremely well draining. On the property you can find Pleasanton and Yolo Series Gravelly Loams, Hillgate, Cortina and San Ysidro.

The site is meticulously managed by Doug Hill of Oak Knoll Farming. Doug is one of our favorite people to work with. His knowledge and ability to work through challenges as well as just being an all around nice man. Happy to teach and willing to listen.

Winemaking

• Hand Harvested October 25, 2019
• Fermented in closed top stainless steel fermenter. Must gently warmed to 90 degrees, pumped over 2-3 times a day.
• ML conversion occurs naturally in barrel.

Barrel Aging

18-22 months, 100% French Oak, 75% New (Taransaud, Leroi)

Profile

The warm days, cool nights and well drained soils of Wolf Family vineyard are on full display in this Saint Helena grown show stopper. The 2019 is rich, complex and packed with dark berry fruit, with supple, silky tannins and juicy red undertones. The intensity of fruit is a signature of the region and is in line with the opulent, mouth-filling style of Napa Valley Cabernet that put the region on the map.