Page 19 - GV2020 Portfolio Master

Burgess Cellars
Planted in the 1870s, the
westward facing vineyards sit at
the base of Howell Mountain. In
1943 Lee Steward began making
HOWELL MOUNTAIN wine here under the Chateau
Souverain label. Both Mike
In 1984 Howell Mountain became the first AVA within the Napa Valley. Howell Mountain is Grgich and Warren Winiarski
located in north east Napa Valley within the Vaca Mountain Range. The boundaries of the AVA who created the wines that won
the Judgement of Paris cut their
are strictly based on elevation. The marine fog that covers the Napa Valley in the mornings is held winemaking teeth under Steward.
under 1400ft. in elevation due to temperature inversion. Morning fogs blanket the lower elevations In 1970 Tom Burgess purchased
of the valley and limit the amount of morning sunshine the vineyards receive. While the lower the land. Still family owned,
Tom’s children run the winery
elevations are shrouded in morning fog the high elevations are basking in sunshine. The today.
temperatures high atop Howell Mountain can be as much as 10° cooler than the valley floor.
Because of the cooler temperatures bud break atop the mountain may be up to 30 days later than on
the valley floor. All of these factors combine to create a unique growing region where the Cabernet
Sauvignon and Zinfandel grapes develop thick skins and maintain naturally balanced acids. Below Dunn Vineyards
the thin topsoil two unique volcanic soils create optimal drainage to stress vines. The north and Randy Dunn was the winemaker
at Caymus from 1975-85. In
west soils are red volcanic rock with clay, while southern and eastern exposures are composed of addition he has made wines for
lighter gray ash and tufa soil. La Jota, Palmaz, and Pahlmeyer.
In 1978 Randy purchased his 14
acre property at 2,000ft. on
Howell Mt and began to make his
own Cabernet Sauvignon. Dunn
Burgess Cellars (Howell Mountain) burgesscellars.com now holds 200+ acres of land
with a paltry 30 acres planted to
Burgess Merlot Napa 2013 $323.90 vine. Vine age ranges from 10-40
Burgess Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2014 $587.90 92 VN years old and total output for the
winery is a scant 4-5,000 cases
annually. “Almost no one in
Napa Valley produces wines that
age as gracefully as those of
Randy Dunn. Dunn’s intense,
Dunn Vineyards (Howell Mountain) dunnvineyards.com profound Cabernets unlocked the
Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2016 $912.00 91 IWC Mountains potential and since
then countless vintners have
Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2015 $1380.00 93 IWC ascended its sunny slopes”
- Kelli White

NAPA VALLEY - DIAMOND MOUNTAIN
“Wine grapes, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, are the true diamonds of this remarkable AVA.” Checkerboard Vineyards
-appellationamerica.com. With over 300 acres of land and
just 14 acres planted Checkboard
Diamond Mountain is located in northwest Napa Valley; directly to the west the of Calistoga AVA. is a unique property. Miniscule
Diamond Mountain became an AVA in 2001. The mountain is so difficult to cultivate that a mere production of the highest quality
is the goal and just 250 cases of
500 of its 5,000 acres are planted to vines. These mountain vineyards can claim two major the namesake wine and 400 cases
historical firsts in Napa Valley history: In 1862 Jacob Schram of Schramsberg Vineyards became of Kings Row are produced
the first to develop hillside vineyards modelling them after those of Rheinhessen, Germany; in 1968 annually. Four estate vineyards
vary in elevations from 900ft-

when Al Brounstein of Diamond Creek Vineyards noticed the differences in the soil types of his 2000ft each with unique soils,
vineyards and began to vinify and bottle them separately. Effectively Diamond Creek Vineyards aspects and drainage. Renowned
winemaker Martha McClellan
became the first Napa winery to focus on micro-climates. The vineyards are made up of red iron (Blankiet; Harlan) is at the helm
rich volcanic soils as well as lighter gray tufa both of which provide good drainage. Warmer then and queen of the board!
the other mountain AVAs to the south, Diamond Mountain does receive cooling air from the
Diamond Creek drainage.

J. Davies
Named in honor of the late Jack
Davies, founder of Schramsberg
Checkerboard Vineyards (Diamond Mountain) checkerboardvineyards.com Vineyards. Hugh Davies, Jack’s
Checkerboard Vineyards Red Blend Aurora Vineyard 2015 (3pk) $705.00 son, and Jamie Davies, Hugh’s
mother and the widow of Jack,
Checkerboard Vineyards King’s Row Aurora Vineyard 2015 (3pk) $375.00 introduced their estate-grown
Diamond Mountain District
(see sales rep for availability) Cabernet with the 2001 vintage.
The first hillside vineyards
planted in Napa in the late
1800’s these old Schramsberg
vineyards sit between 500-1000ft.
on the south side of Diamond
J. Davies (Diamond Mountain) daviesvineyards.com Mntn. In 1994 the Davies
J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2015 (6pk) $492.00 94 WE, 93 WA replanted the vineyard to
Cabernet Sauvignon
J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2016 (6pk) $587.90 94 JS, 94 WE
J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon Jamie 2014 (3pk) $450.00 98 WE, 96 WA
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