Winemaking Update

The close of one season and the start of another always brings a sense of excitement and accomplishment. As we move into 2025, the winery is alive with energy and anticipation. All our 2024 releases are safely tucked into barrel, and we’ve bottled the final wines from the 2022 vintage. Meanwhile, our crew is focused on blending the 2023 vintage—a process that feels a bit like solving a puzzle, finding just the right balance to express the character of the vintage. It’s a true craft, and I can’t wait to share the results with you when these wines are released in the fall.

I’m excited about the three wines making their way to you this month. The 2022 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon captures the cool, rugged elegance of its high-elevation home with notes of raspberry, sage, and forest floor. The 2022 Locked Horns Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from our southernmost estate vineyard in Stags Leap, is bold yet nuanced, weaving together blueberry jam, cocoa powder, and structured tannins that promise years of aging potential. And for those of you who’ve missed it, the 2022 Cabernet Franc is back in the lineup, bringing vibrant raspberry and spice notes that are as playful as they are refined.

While our winemaking team perfects the wines, our events team, Carolyn Free and Kate Kraemer, are busy planning a year of experiences to connect you even more deeply with our vineyards and winemaking journey. I hope you’ll join us for events like Expedition Stags Leap, an exploration of our single-vineyard sites including a tasting of the wines they inspire or one of our Morning Hikes in the Vineyard. Walking the land where the vines grow always adds another layer of appreciation to what’s in the glass.

With the start of a new year, I want to take a moment to thank you for being such an important part of our wine club family. Your support inspires us every day to continue crafting wines that reflect the unique story of this incredible place. Here’s to another year filled with great wine!

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

 Viticulture Update

Pruning is where the season truly begins, and it’s one of the most important tasks we undertake in the vineyard. Each cut we make shapes the vine’s future, setting the stage for balanced growth and high-quality fruit. This process is never rushed—it’s calculated, deliberate, and always done with the long term health of the vines in mind.

This year, we’ve already completed pruning at Dos Olivos, one of our southernmost vineyards in Carneros. It’s always satisfying to finish the first site of the season, but there’s plenty of work ahead as we turn our attention to the rest of our vineyards.

Timing is everything when it comes to pruning. Waiting for the right weather conditions is essential to minimize the risk of disease. Dry days are ideal, ensuring clean cuts that heal quickly and reduce the chance of fungal infections. We’re careful to let the vines rest as long as possible, taking advantage of cooler conditions to avoid premature bud break, while also staying ahead of the warming days that signal the vineyard’s natural wake up call.

Pruning isn’t just a technical task, it’s an art form that requires knowledge and intuition. The number of buds left on each vine determines the balance between fruit and foliage, and ultimately, the quality of the grapes. Every vine is different, and every decision matters.

As the crew moves through the rest of the vineyards, we’re reminded of how lucky we are to have such a dedicated and skilled team. Their work in these early days of the season lays the foundation for everything to come.

Gustavo Aviña
Viticulture Director