Vineyards

As you would expect from Pott, we respect and nurture the weirdness: We allow a permanent cover crop between our vine rows which supports the microbial world in the soil, and all the attendant birds and beasties above; 

We have nesting boxes for owls, bluebirds and bats, and they in turn control insects and other predators. We are 100% organically farmed, and even brew our own “compost teas” for when the vines need a refreshing boost of nutrients.

When it comes time to harvest we pick by hand in to small baskets to avoid premature crushing. We harvest multiple times because different parts of the vineyard ripen at different times. In spite of researching many high tech ways to analyze ripeness we still prefer to pick by flavor, the old-fashioned way. (In other words we eat a lot of grapes!)

Then to the winery where age-old artisanal techniques and indigenous yeasts develop pure, un-adulterated expressions of our site and its beauty.

The Lagier-Meredith property is about a mile distant from Pott directly along the ridge to the south. Like Pott, the soils here are the classic Mayacamas marine sandwich of sandstone and shale.  Carole and Steve planted their first Syrah vines in 1994, adding three additional varieties (Mondeuse Noire, Zinfandel and Malbec) a decade later. The vineyard occupies a small southeast facing promontory at around 1300 feet above the valley. Syrah loves a view and this one is first class – lovers of their wines will know it well from their wine label.

The two properties are connected by a fire trail that used to be a ridge road connecting Napa and Sonoma via the mountains.  Since 2004 we’ve traversed it hundreds of time back and forth to Steve and Carol’s house for pizzas and pingpong, to lend and borrow machinery and to examine troublesome vines.  It’s a narrow ATV track with plunging drop offs on both sides, but it’s an animal super highway.

We set up a trail camera at the summit and captured all kinds of “traffic”, some of whom now grace the wine labels for our 3 Lagier-Meredith Vineyard wines.

Sauvignon and Franc on Aiken clay loam and a mound of Tuff at the southwest end of the vineyard. Sits at around 1600 feet above a cliff edge of Howell Mountain. Almost full sun exposure but protected from exhaustion by the altitude. More UV light higher up produces greater anthrocyanin (deeper color) and smaller, richly concentrated berries. Franc grows really well on tuff (compacted volcanic ash). Drains well and is nutrient poor which helps control vigor. Tuff soils give elegant richness, broad mid-palate flavors and rounded acidity.

The famous Linda Falls is literally a stones' throw from the vineyard. It demonstrates the volcanic layers and mighty cliff formations that characterize this region, and the wine. A good reference for Stacked is Seven Stones (another Aaron project, another Franc and Sauvignon blend) which shares the very same seam of tuff soils and shows the same much-loved, classic characteristics of tobacco, cedar, blueberry (CF), blackberry (CS).

Aaron calls this his foot in the door of Valhalla!  It's a complete waste of time and a total labor of love...

This tiny vineyard sits next to and slightly above Colgin’s Tychson Hill north of St. Helena. Lower slopes of Spring Mountain; 350 feet in altitude. East facing, it doesn’t heat up as much as west facing vineyards so you get more pure and fresh fruit, character, rather than pruny or candied flavors.  More black and blue fruits (heat gives red fruit characters). Another benefit of east facing is early bud break and less vulnerability to late frosts.

Growing in the coveted Aiken clay loam red basaltic rock whose super high iron content helps to turn up the volume on the aromatics and density. Nestled up against 40 acres of untouched forest which bring welcome humidity and beneficial native biodiversity.

And most importantly owned and still overseen by the wonderful Roy and Kay Bisagno who - at 93 years old - continue to help us with farming and harvest.

Gritty gravel and shale the perfect amount of adversity. 150 to 220 feet. Adjacent to primeval Redwood forest and facing the Navarro river which has a normalizing effect: less variability in temps, good humidity, and gives it the California "woo" of a very alive, biodiverse ecosystem. The natural A/C of being closer to the coast and its cooling fog, and on top of that, east-facing (angled away from the hottest sun of the afternoon) puts it right at the edge of its ability to ripen.  

Keeping the vines having to work hard means you're getting the best, most exaggerated results. Especially important in a Pinot Noir which is an ancient, unadulterated variety - closest to wild grapevines - and really translates terroir, acutely showing where it's grown.