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April 30, 2022

Mount Veeder: Napa’s Hidden Gem

There’s a unique character to wines made from mountain-grown fruit. In fact, of the 16 nested AVAs in Napa Valley, five are mountainous regions. But there’s more to Mount Veeder than just steep terrain and rocky soil. Though it’s one of the premier hillside appellations in Napa, it’s also one of the most diverse regions in the area.

That’s why Cultivar Wine decided to release two new wines this year from this acclaimed area: the 2020 Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, and the 2020 Cultivar Merlot, Mt. Veeder. In celebration of these releases, we thought we’d take a deeper look into the Mt. Veeder appellation to discover what’s truly different about this region.

Mount Veeder History

Mount Veeder was named for Peter Veeder, a Dutch Presbyterian pastor. Veeder lived in the area during the Civil War era. Veeder enjoyed hiking on the mountain, where the Douglas Firs and Knobcone Pines reminded him of the forests of home. In 1864, Captain Stelham Wing created the first bottling from the region and presented it at the Napa County Fair.

Commercial-scale production came to Mt. Veeder in 1900 when Theodore Geir, a flamboyant liquor wholesaler living in Oakland, bought the property that would later become the Hess Collection Winery. By the late 1890s, there were some 20 vineyards and 6 wineries on the slopes of Mount Veeder. Prohibition all but wiped out winemaking in the region until the early 1950s. It wasn’t until 1973 when a Cabernet Sauvignon was produced that bore the Mount Veeder designation on the label.

Fun fact: Petit Verdot first came to California in 1975 via Mount Veeder! Cuttings from the original vineyard site are the origin of most Petit Verdot in Napa Valley today.

Mt. Veeder is an incomparable mix of steep slopes, seabed soil, and cooling winds from San Pablo Bay. Mt. Veeder was granted AVA status in 1990.

Sign for Mt. Veeder

The Mount Veeder Terroir

Often called “The Mountain By The Bay,” Mt. Veeder produces wines that reflect the independent spirit of its mountain growers and vintners. These are wines borne of rugged conditions that demand hand craftsmanship at the highest level. Mount Veeder is an island of ancient seabed pushed up into a mountain, surrounded by volcanic soils that typify the rest of the Napa Valley.

Here are some other amazing facts about this appellation:

  • It has the longest growing season and the lowest yields in Napa Valley.
  • Virtually all vineyard work is done by hand, due to the rugged conditions and steep slopes.
  • Extremely steep slopes rising above the fog line create shallow topsoil and minimal water retention. This results in tiny berries with intense flavor concentration but soft tannins.
  • It is the only hillside appellation in Napa Valley that adjoins the cool, bayside Carneros, benefiting from the cooling influence of San Pablo Bay.

Cluster of grapes with man walking in the background

Cultivar Wine From Mount Veeder

2020 Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder

Our debut Cabernet Sauvignon from the storied Mt. Veeder appellation in Napa Valley is a stunner. With a hue between deep ruby and deep purple, you can see right away that this is a concentrated, mountain-farmed wine. The nose reveals Bing cherries, black currant, and dry earth, while interwoven layers of blueberry, cassis, vanilla, and mellow oak roll across the mid-palate.

As young as this wine is, the finish has a surprising smoothness, with flavors of cigar wrapper, plum, and eucalyptus. There’s no doubt the mountain fruit tannins are bold, but this is a wine that’s drinkable now and will only get softer with age. Enjoy it with grilled New York steak, pork chops with a peppercorn sauce, or lamb kabobs.

Our 2020 Cultivar Wine Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder, is available exclusively through our wine club through June 9th, 2022. Any remaining bottles can then be purchased at the Cultivar Online Store.

2020 Mt Veeder Cab

2020 Cultivar Merlot, Mt. Veeder

If you love a Merlot that’s deeply concentrated but retains its signature softness on the finish, then you love Merlot the way it comes from Mt. Veeder. We sourced this 2020 vintage from one of the most acclaimed vineyards on the mountain. the nose is presented with Bing cherries, blueberry, black currant, and the aroma of minerality that comes from the appellation’s unique soil.

The palate is greeted with sarsaparilla, cocoa dust, cherry cola, and black peppercorns, all drifting beautifully on a wave of soft, new oak. the longer growing season on Mt. Veeder is immediately apparent in the flavor profile: the fruit is forward and juicy without being jammy. On the finish, you’ll find equal amounts of cigar smoke, cola, and tannins that start out soft and will only become more balanced with age.

Cultivar 2020 Mt Veeder Merlot

Enjoy this wine with mushroom risotto, meatloaf, wagyu beef sliders, Muenster cheese, or Prosciutto with melon. This wine will be released on the Cultivar Online Store in the fall of 2022.

April 22, 2022

Earth Day Is Every Day At Caspar Estate

Earth Day is a time to celebrate the planet we call home. Established on April 22nd, 1970, Earth Day marks the beginning of the modern environmental movement.

At Caspar Estate, sustainable, earth-friendly, certified organic farming practices are paramount. We preserve, protect, and maintain our plant resources for the ecological value of future generations. As we like to say, take care of the planet, and it will take care of us.

Sustainable, earth friendly organic farming practices

Being organic, we produce our own compost for our vegetation. What we don’t make ourselves, we supplement with an organic fish fertilizer emulsion.

Wheelbarrow

Creating A Sanctuary For Earth Day And Beyond

Natural inhabitants of the land also participate in what we grow. We built perches for Barn Owls and predatory birds to assist us in rodent control. We also provide a hospitable environment for helpful insects. In addition, we plant crop cover for nitrogen and soil erosion control. When it’s time to remove the crop cover, we utilize a natural burn process that rejuvenates the soil.

Gardens at Caspar Estate

Our small producer approach, combined with our organic and sustainable farming, produces award-winning results. The vegetables we grow are used daily at our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF. Our produce includes tomatoes, squash, peppers, olives, and a variety of herbs.

Sustainability Means Solar Power

In addition, we’ve also installed what we like to refer to as “The Solar Grove.” These solar panels provide clean, reliable, and renewable power to our property. During the hot summer months, we can also generate enough power to return energy back to the grid.

Solar panels

Terroir-Driven Winemaking Starts With Organic Farming

For winemaker Julien Fayard, our certified organic vineyard was a compelling reason to head our winemaking team. It’s no surprise that for a vintner attuned to the aspects of winemaking driven by nature, the process for Julien starts in the vineyard. The cellar work of fermentation and aging are, as he describes them, “big steps that have to be done right.” But they’re steps preceded by everything that happens at the all-important vineyard level. Out among the vines is, to Julien, where the essence of winemaking takes place.

Barrels

“I like to put a little more focus on the decisions made ahead of what happens in the cellar,” he says of his winemaking approach. “It’s almost like what people picture as the central pieces of winemaking—fermentation and aging—are a consequence of the farming decisions.”

Earth Day is a great time to think about your own impact on the planet. What kind of environment do you want to pass down to future generations? Remember, you can make a huge difference simply by supporting small, organic farms and encouraging sustainability!