Mount Veeder

Mount Veeder Winery was one born from the hard work and dedication of Michael and Arlene Bernstein.  The Bernsteins first discovered the rugged property in the early 1960s and later bought it as a rustic retreat.  In the ensuing years they transformed it into an enviable vineyard, almost by accident. After farming the property’s prune orchard for the first few years, a farmhand who lived on the property presented the Bernsteins with a bundle of cast-off grapevine cuttings.  Michael stuck the unrooted cuttings into the ground and never gave them a drop of water.  Miraculously, of the 60 cuttings planted, 58 lived.  Michael turned his full attention to the vines and built his land into a thriving vineyard, ultimately making history as the first vintner in Napa Valley to plant one property to all five of the classic Bordeaux varieties.
 

The debut wine from Mount Veeder Winery was the 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Since that first vintage, Mount Veeder Winery has expanded to three vineyard ranches nestled high in the Mayacamas Mountains and continues to produce powerful, bold wines that are a true expression of this unique wine-growing region.

Resembling a giant staircase, Mount Veeder's vines are planted on wide terraces of earth cut into steep slopes. At elevations of 1,000 to 1,600 feet, the microclimate is very different from the Napa Valley floor. Above the fog bank, exposed to the gentle morning sun and protected from the afternoon heat by the surrounding mountains, grapes on these vines ripen slowly and evenly. And in autumn, the mountain's cool days and warm nights mean extra hang time.

 
The goal at Mount Veeder Winery is to foster the natural balance of the vine and preserve the integrity of the land with a dedication to crafting wines that are the purest expression of this ruggedly beautiful site. Vineyard Manager Matt Ashby is charged with the care and preservation of the three prized vineyards on the steep slopes of Mount Veeder and has learned how to meet the demands of hillside farming.  “Agriculture is often seen as anti-environment,” he says, “but in most cases, the people who work the land are the ones who come to know it best and respect it.”

 
Respecting the land and cultivating grapevines on Mount Veeder isn’t a simple task. The challenge lies in the ability not only to produce great wines, but also to improve the sustainability of the vineyards, prevent erosion, improve the quality of the runoff water, allow the deer and wildlife a place to live and have the vineyard live in harmony with nature.
 
Many steps are taken in order to accomplish these goals, including a strict attention to erosion control. Following the contours of the land, the vines cannot be planted in long, straight rows; instead, the rows are laid out in shorter, curving pieces. Top soil is shallow and precious, so installation of extensive drainage systems is essential to protect against soil erosion. Water collector basins are created along the inside of the terraces, emptying into underground drainage pipes that run through the vineyards.

 
A cover crop of grasses and clover, plus an organic mix of legumes that fix nitrogen levels and add organic matter back into the soil, restores nutrients and helps to control erosion. Organic composts also help maintain the vines’ nutritional balance. Compost is spread in the fall so that soil microbes and nutrients can penetrate the soil with the winter rains.

Our three ranches on Mount Veeder bask in the clear mountain sunshine high above Napa Valley. Estate ranches range in altitude from 1,000 to 1,600 feet in elevation to provide diverse microclimates for a wide variety of growing conditions and fruit profiles. All of the key Bordeaux grapes prosper, keeping with the tradition of being the first vineyard in California planted to all five Bordeaux varieties.

The philosophy at Mount Veeder Winery is that each of our wines has its own remarkable way of expressing the mountain soil from which it was born. We believe that great wines are a reflection of their terroir—the combination of soil, topography, microclimate and people—and we believe that excellent grapes handled with minimal processing have the potential to produce the greatest wines.
 

Mount Veeder Winery was the first vineyard in Napa Valley planted to all five of the grape varieties used in a classic Bordeaux blend. We feel that blending is the key to crafting the most complete, balanced wine and enhancing the inherent characteristics of each variety.  The ultimate goal is the creation of a rich, seamless wine.