The Oakville appellation spans the Napa Valley from the Vaca Mountains in the east to the Mayacamas in the west. Within this storied terroir, our 25-acre Dos Olivos Vineyard—so named for the two stately olive trees that guard its entrance—has moderate temperatures and well-drained gravel and clay soils that yield Cabernet Sauvignon of exceptional structure and balance. In conjunction with our attentive farming practices, the terroir creates ideal conditions for the production of deeply fruited and well-extracted Cabernet Sauvignons.
Pine Ridge Vineyards is proud to own 57 estate acres within this appellation, including the Rutherford Ridge Vineyard. The area’s hallmark gravelly loam soils and moderate temperatures deliver fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon with outstanding balance and elegance.
In 1986, we added the Howell Mountain appellation, with our nine-acre Los Posadas vineyard, which sits at an elevation of 2,000 feet. The site’s rocky, well-drained volcanic soils force vines to dig deep for water and nutrients; as a result, the vines produce small, intensely flavored berries that impart voluptuous fruit character and remarkable structure to the wine. Our nine-acre Las Posadas vineyard sits at an elevation of 2,000 feet above sea level and features southeast-facing plantings. The rocky, well-drained volcanic soils force the vines to dig deep for water and nutrients, producing small, intensely flavored berries. Despite strong afternoon sun, the climate tends to be cool because of the altitude, and acidity is maintained throughout ripening.
Our steep, densely planted Stags Leap District estate has been the heart of the winery since Pine Ridge Vineyards was founded here in a farmhouse in 1978. This wine is a pure and exquisite expression of the world-famous Stags Leap District AVA. The Stags Leap District’s moderate temperature, influenced by the San Pablo Bay, leads to slow, even fruit development throughout the growing season. The majority of our 47 acres across four estate vineyards in this region are densely planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties on steeply terraced hillsides with Bale clay-loam soils, resulting in very low yields of intensely flavored grapes.
Pine Ridge was one of the first wineries to pair French Dijon clones with the cool Carneros terroir. Our estate vineyards in this fog-shrouded region enjoy a long growing season, allowing the development of intense tropical fruit and citrus flavors. The result is a California Chardonnay that is stylistically original, a perfect marriage of both French and California winemaking techniques. Our Collines Vineyard benefits from cool, foggy mornings and afternoon breezes from nearby San Pablo Bay. These conditions are ideal for growing Chardonnay and contribute to a slow and even rate of fruit maturity, leading to optimal balance of sugar and acid. This 38-acre vineyard is planted with devigorating rootstock and features a number of Dijon clones, including 76, 95, 96, and 548, which tend to yield high acidity.
