It is a rare pleasure to experience a vineyard’s entire life, from its inception, through the development process to reaping the fruits of its harvest.  This is the case with Kaliholmanok. From my first glimpse of this parcel, with its red dirt and natural terraces surrounded by trees, I knew that here was terroir that would produce wines of exceptional quality: there was a mixture of Aiken, Boomer and Forward soils, on moderate slopes with all sorts of aspects... it was, in the words of eminent Beringer viticulturist Bob Steinhauer, “a no-brainer.”

In 2001, when we broke ground, the owners knew very little about viticulture but took to it with passion, energy and enjoyment.  Seven years of 12-hour days later, and this wine aptly chronicles the sweat, blood and dedication it takes to cultivate a truly unequalled Cabernet Vineyard.

Located at the highest reaches of Spring Mountain, you can see the sea from the very top. Weather at Kaliholmanok can be unpredictable and sometimes unforgiving in winter.  We spent New Year up there one year and had to cook the entire feast in a wood stove because the power was out from a severe storm.  On the other hand, in summer I’m usually the first to strip off and plunge in the lake.

Kaliholmanok is the native Wappo Indian Tribe word meaning: naked woods people friendly, and refers to a tributary of the Napa River – Ritchie Creek – that flows from Spring Mountain and noticeably has a special effect on the inhabitants and their vines.