Napa Valley

Wines Wineries Region History Terroir Travel

Covert Estate

A brief history

Covert Estate is the result of the collaboration and hard work of three families dedicated to the craft of winemaking: Cal and Pam Nicholson, library wine collectors and vintners in Napa Valley; Dave and Laura Nestor, obsessive and extensive California wine collectors, equine hunters/jumpers, and management gurus; and Julien Fayard, French winemaker and Californian wine lover with a legacy of making wine in both France and Napa Valley, using traditional techniques to create wine filled with finesse and a sense of place.

Covert Estate is located in Napa Valley on the eastern hills of the Vaca Mountain Range in the Coombsville AVA. Mostly composed of solid volcanic ash from Mt. George, the topsoil of this AVA is barely existent. The sub-soil contains cobblestone strewn layers of rich loams between volcanic rocks. These particular layers drain easily while the ash sub-soils hold water, which the vines can access as the dry growing season progresses. Due to Covert Estate’s proximity to San Pablo Bay, a cool layer of fog covers the vineyards. Daily temperatures can be as much as ten degrees cooler during the hot months, creating an ideal growing climate. The vines bud early and the grapes tend to be harvested later, making for a long and slow ripening period. All of this leads to incredible structure, complexity, and balance of the wine.

Using traditional Bordeaux winemaking techniques adapted to the site, Julien strikes a balance of both French and California winemaking culture. The winemaking for the Grand Crus of Bordeaux has been established by many generations of winemakers. Julien carries that philosophy, experience, and tradition with him into the cellar to capture the best of what the fruit has to offer.

The Covert Estate team is comprised of individuals who have made a life-long commitment to Napa Valley. They work to continuously develop and enhance the legacy of these world-class vineyards through their sustainable farming practices. The Covert Estate team has a steadfast commitment to reducing their footprint. Out of respect for their neighbors that have lived nearby for generations, the Covert Estate facility is integrated into the hillside to reduce noise, pollution, and visual impact. In the vineyard, they aim to minimize water usage and maintain crops free of chemicals, keeping the underground water strong and pollutant-free. Additionally, their state-of-the-art facility has been classified as Napa Green — a comprehensive environmental certification program for vineyards and wineries — for their efforts to reduce waste, water, and energy usage.

15 Chateau Lane
United States, California
94559

www.covertestate.com

contact@covertestate.com

+17073375943

Covert Estate Wines

Featured Wines

Covert EstateCovert Estate Cabernet Franc

We farm our estate vineyard organically, manually tending the tightly spaced rows throughout the year. In the fall, our team harvests by hand in the cool early mornings and sends the grapes through two rounds of rigorous sorting — first as whole clusters, then again as de-stemmed individual berries. After cold maceration, the fruit is fermented by naturally occurring wild yeasts in temperature-controlled conditions for three to four weeks. Once this initial fermentation is complete, we gently crush the grapes with a vertical press directly into barrels for a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 18-26 months in barrel, as needed for each vintage. We rack at most twice per year, and bottle without fining or filtration. By minimizing human intervention with the wine, we aim to amplify the voice of the terroir.

Covert EstateCovert Estate Sage Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

The Sage Hill Vineyard is a clay and rock-dominated site in the Pritchard Hill area of Napa Valley that enjoys full western exposure and cooling air currents from nearby Lake Hennessy that moderate afternoon temperatures. Our vineyard team harvests by hand in the cool early mornings and sends the grapes through two rounds of rigorous sorting — first as whole clusters, then again as de-stemmed individual berries. After cold maceration, the fruit is fermented by naturally occurring wild yeasts in temperature-controlled conditions for three to four weeks. Once this initial fermentation is complete, we gently crush the grapes with a vertical press directly into barrels for a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 18-26 months in barrel, as needed for each vintage. We rack at most twice per year, and bottle without fining or filtration. By minimizing human intervention with the wine, we aim to amplify the voice of the terroir.

Covert EstateCovert Estate Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

We farm our estate vineyard organically, manually tending the tightly spaced rows throughout the year. In the fall, our team harvests by hand in the cool early mornings and sends the grapes through two rounds of rigorous sorting — first as whole clusters, then again as de-stemmed individual berries. After cold maceration, the fruit is fermented by naturally occurring wild yeasts in temperature-controlled conditions for three to four weeks. Once this initial fermentation is complete, we gently crush the grapes with a vertical press directly into barrels for a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 20 months in barrel, as needed for each vintage. We rack at most twice per year, and bottle without fining or filtration. By minimizing human intervention with the wine, we aim to amplify the voice of the terroir.

Covert EstateCovert Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Our Black Label Cabernet has Coombsville’s dark, structured aromatics as its cornerstone, blended into the rich and refined style that is Covert Estate's hallmark. Our team harvests by hand in the cool early mornings and sends the grapes through two rounds of rigorous sorting — first as whole clusters, then again as de-stemmed individual berries. After cold maceration, the fruit is fermented by naturally occurring wild yeasts for three to four weeks. Once this initial fermentation is complete, we gently crush the grapes with a vertical press directly into barrels for a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 18-26 months in barrel, as needed for each vintage. We rack at most twice per year, and bottle without fining or filtration. By minimizing human intervention with the wine, we aim to amplify the voice of the terroir.

Covert EstateCovert Estate Syrah

Covert EstateCovert Estate Clone 341 Cabernet Sauvignon

We farm our estate vineyard organically, manually tending the tightly spaced rows throughout the year. In the fall, our team harvests by hand in the cool early mornings and sends the grapes through two rounds of rigorous sorting—first as whole clusters, then again as de-stemmed individual berries. After cold maceration, the fruit is fermented by naturally occurring wild yeasts in temperature-controlled conditions for three to four weeks. Once this initial fermentation is complete, we gently crush the grapes with a vertical press directly into barrels for a secondary malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends 18-26 months in barrel, as needed for each vintage. We rack at most twice per year, and bottle without fining or filtration. By minimizing human intervention with the wine, we aim to amplify the voice of the terroir.

View All6Wines