My first visit to Dennis Johns at the White Cottage Ranch was an icy one, both the weather and the reception.  It was a cold clear day in January, and high on Howell Mountain at the vineyard (2000 feet in altitude) it was even colder.  I had just taken over the winemaker/general manager post at St. Clement after years of groovy jet setting as Beringer's International Winemaker of Mystery.

Dennis, the owner of White Cottage Ranch, had been winemaker at St. Clement for the previous 20 years, defining the reputation of the winery with his unique style.  But when Beringer (St. Clement’s parent company) was itself bought out by Australian beer giant Fosters, Dennis moved on bored – I suspect – by the intervention of the new owners and their grand plans.

But St. Clement still had a grape contract with White Cottage Ranch and I had tasted the fabulous wines that Dennis had made from the property.  So I was determined that day to maintain the grapes as a source for the long term and to do that I had to woo him a little, convince him that I would handle his grapes as they deserved to be treated.

Dennis is the kind of guy that can smell ‘BS’ a mile off, so he was wary at first.  But we took a huge hike around his vineyard, intensely discussing our wine and other philosophies, and he slowly warmed up.  The sculpted vineyards are covered with two of Napa Valley’s most coveted soils, the Aiken series that locals call “Red Gold” for the outstanding quality of the wines that it produces and the Boomer series, soils known for their complex aromatic wines.  From rolling hills to towering slopes, vines intermingle harmoniously with the surrounding ponderosa pines where numerous hawks cry, guarding their nests.

My excitement about the White Cottage Ranch was clear, I got the contract and proved good to my word when the wines were released.  I was deeply honored when Dennis even exclaimed that my 2001 was the best he had ever tasted from the property.  Since then, an air of mutual respect and artistic collaboration has flourished. That first meeting forged a friendship that continues well beyond the close of my own experience with ‘Big Wine’ and has allowed me to buy grapes for Pott Wine from this stunning vineyard.

But sadly, 2007 will be the last vintage of this epic wine as Dennis and Adele sold the property this year for an incredible sum and plan to retire on three nearby small lakes with fishing rods firmly planted in their hands.  May the quality of the catch be equal to that of the harvest!