Winemaking Update

The 2022 vintage is shaping up to be an inviting one. All three wines in this shipment come from this growing season, and they’re some of our softest and most approachable releases yet. From the enticing baked fruit qualities of the Stags Crown to the red fruit and herbs emanating from Oakville, these Cabernet Sauvignons have truly arrived. And then there’s the Napa Valley Merlot, framed by tobacco and wild jam.

Back to time travel. Our wine-growing philosophy depends on it. By adapting to climate change and farming responsibly, we’re setting the tone for a vibrant future. We’re involved in numerous initiatives and experiments that are bulletproofing our wines for whatever the horizon brings. You can talk the talk, but certification ensures that you walk the walk, and we’re proud of that.

This commitment means answering the call of organizations like Napa Green and the International Wineries for Climate Action. We’re certified by both, practicing sustainability that extends beyond the environment to people and social justice while becoming more self-sufficient from a power standpoint. We’re continuing to expand our solar program, and the Oakville estate is being set up to be dry-farmed, meaning it will no longer need irrigation. It will work valiantly to produce the kinds of wines that excite me most — wines with real tension, vibrancy, and focus.

Not long ago, Gustavo and I were in that vineyard with his favorite tool (a shovel), digging into the soil to check on the new plantings. They’d already rooted themselves deep into the ground, well past the 5-6 feet we dug before getting too tired to continue. This is exciting on many levels, with more resilient vines and beautifully small-berried fruit enhanced by the challenges of self-sufficiency. From a wine-growing perspective, it’s the best kind of insurance policy.

There are endless details to being genuinely sustainable, but really, it boils down to this: leave the land as good as or better than you found it. Seems like a pretty fair deal, given everything these rows have given us.

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

Josh Widaman
Estate Winemaker

 Viticulture Update

The growing conditions in the Napa Valley are usually consistent from year to year, but 2022 was an exception. Early in the season, we often worry about frost, but this time, conditions were mild, with fewer frost hours than in the previous vintage. You could feel the vineyard’s energy early and often — the vines sprouted earlier and grew quickly.

Later in 2022, the heat set in. While “normal” is an ever-changing term, we witnessed unprecedented conditions in the valley. Parts of Oakville and Rutherford recorded temperatures in the 113-118 degree Fahrenheit range. Brief heat spikes can dramatically accelerate the ripening schedule (though prolonged ones can halt vine activity). However, such weather also leads to more concentrated harvests. In 2022, we completed the crush in a shorter period than usual.

Scorching heat like this could be catastrophic, yet we credit good preparation and sustainably-driven farming for our success. As part of our program, we implement practices that prepare us for extreme conditions. For example, we use evapotranspiration sensors that measure moisture and stress levels, alerting us when irrigation is necessary. This technology provides a detailed view of each row, right down to the drop. We know precisely how much water the vines consume daily and how much is needed to help them recover from heat-related stress.

That’s just the beginning. We champion agricultural sustainability through minimal tilling, which reduces heat radiation by retaining more moisture in the ground (where the roots can access it). Similarly, we use compost to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers, which improves soil water retention. These strategies yield significant results, not only aiding during challenging growing seasons but also setting us up for resilience for generations to come.

It’s rewarding to see these practices tested by climate change and ultimately produce exceptional fruit. If the 2022 wines are any indication, our farming philosophy at Pine Ridge is fine-tuned and ready for the curveballs Mother Nature will undoubtedly throw.

Salud and enjoy your wines,

Gustavo Aviña
Viticulture Director

Gustavo Aviña
Viticulture Director