Fall Flavors Arrive at Cultivar
🍂 Seasonal Menu & Wine Pairings
Cozy Up to the Season
As the air turns crisp and the light softens, fall invites us to slow down, savor, and indulge. At Cultivar, our chef has taken this cue — he’s reimagined the season through vibrant, cozy, and elegant flavors, meticulously paired with Cultivar and Caspar Estate wines.
Whether you’re craving a comforting classic, a garden-fresh bite, or an indulgent centerpiece, our new fall menu brings local, organic ingredients to the table — and each dish is designed to beautifully complement the wines you’ll enjoy.
Sneak Peek: Fall Menu Highlights & Wine Pairings
Here are just a few of the standout dishes and wine pairings you’ll find this fall:
Tasmanian Deviled Salmon Flatbread
This elevated flatbread features deviled salmon, spicy caviared Greek yogurt, and microgreens from Caspar Estate.
Pair with: Caspar Sauvignon Blanc
Roasted Chicken Waldorf
Succulent roasted chicken rests on smashed Yukon potatoes, roast apple, mirepoix & grape, with papita crunch and a pan jus that bursts with depth.
Pair with: Cultivar Oak Knoll Cabernet Franc
Pork Chop Milan
A bone-in pork chop, panko-crusted to perfection, is served with summer corn risotto and foraged mushroom daube, finished in a Cultivar port glacé.
Pair with: Cultivar Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah
More Delights & Pairings from the Fall Menu
- Salmon Niçoise — Seared Wild Ora King salmon, greens, haricots vert, olive tapenade, split tomatoes, hemp seed
Pair with: Cultivar Chardonnay, Alexander Valley - Prawn & Golden Squash Scampi — Sea prawns sautéed in ghee, golden Italian squash, bucatini, gremolata, basil chiffonade
Pair with: Cultivar Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley - Harvest Tart — Seasonal vegetables in buttery puff pastry, Sonoma goat cheese crumble, dressed greens
Pair with: Cultivar Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
Warm Ambiance, Rich Flavors — Cultivar Style
Pull on your favorite sweater, settle in by the fire, and join us for a night of cozy comfort and beautiful taste. Prefer to stay in? Order your favorites for free delivery and enjoy Cultivar at home.
Every dish is crafted from locally sourced, organically grown ingredients — designed not just to delight your palate but to enhance each sip from our wine portfolio.
Make Your Holiday List and Start Celebrating!
Bring back the joy of celebrating together this holiday season!
Cultivar Wines are thoughtfully crafted to pair well with food. Give the gift of effortless holiday hosting so you can gather and celebrate and toast the season!
Caspar Estate organically farms their olive olive grove, orchards and culinary garden and the extra virgin olive oil, wildflower honey are always well received gifts. Many customers return year after year to re-order these gifts.
The Caspar Estate Olive Oil and Honey Gift Box:
Give a taste of the Napa Valley with our Caspar Estate extra virgin olive oil and wildflower honey. From our organically farmed olive grove.
The olive oil has a mature full balance of white pepper and grassy aroma followed by a creamy herbaceous finish.Our wildflower honey is rustic and addictive. A great gift to have ready to give for any occasion.
Another gift idea for the chef in your life is the 1/2 gallon bottle of our Caspar Estate Olive Oil. With this size it can be used for all of your vegetable roasting, marinades, pesto sauce, and vinaigrette.
For the chef in your life is the 1/2 gallon bottle of our Caspar Estate Olive Oil. With this size it can be used for all of your vegetable roasting, marinades, pesto sauce, and vinaigrette.
Our Tuscan style extra virgin olive oil has a mature full balance of white pepper and grassy aroma followed by a creamy herbaceous finish. Subtle flavors of tomato leaf and sweet apple pie pair well with salads, poached fish, seared meat or a rustic baguette. The Caspar Estate olive oil is from our heritage grove Mission olive trees planted over 100 years ago and our Frantoio, Leccino, Coratina, Luca, Manzanillo, Picholine, Pendolino and Sevillano varieties.
Always a hit!
The Napa Pair
The perfect introduction to Cultivar Wine with two popular wines from the Napa Valley. A bottle of our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, and 2019 Syrah, Napa Valley in our farmer gift box. It’s a great way to share your love of Cultivar Wine with your friends and family.
2021 Cultivar Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and vibrant, with flavors of citrus and melon, our popular Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc pairs with all your favorite dishes, all year long.
2019 Cultivar Syrah: A gorgeous and opulent Napa Valley Syrah. Dark, bold, and brilliant describes both the color and the nose, as pepper, allspice, and smoked meats explode from this dark purple wine.
Cabernet Franc Pair
Our Stunning Cabernet Francs from Oak Knoll, Napa Valley
2018 Cultivar Cabernet Franc opens with the aroma of raspberries, Bing cherries, cardamom, tobacco, and white pepper. There are notes of Herbes de Provence running through the aroma as well. On the palate, full fresh raspberries and currants intertwine with sweet oak and bright spices. The palate is opulent with just the right amount of tannins. A long, silky finish. We’ve always found the Cabernet Franc works with a wide variety of foods, from Asian-inspired dishes to grilled salmon to duck.
2019 Cultivar Cabernet Franc on the palate, the flavors of cranberry and red fruit are evenly balanced with nutmeg, ginger, white pepper, and a hint of baking chocolate. The finish is medium and supple, but with lingering tannins.
Our Cab Francs are one of our most food-friendly wines. Try it with anything from a grilled cheese sandwich to sliders to both main courses and side dishes for your fall dinners.
A fabulous gift for wine lovers and people who like to entertain.
Terriors of the Napa Valley
Take a tour through two of the finest appellations in Napa Valley with this duo of Cabernets from Oakville and Coombsville.
2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is delicious and expresses both the characteristics of the 2018 Napa vintage and the personality of its valley floor location. With only 77 cases produced, this one will go fast.
2017 Coombsville Cabernet is packed with all the minerality and bold fruit flavors this storied appellation is known for. Our Coombsville Cabernet is perfect on its own or with grilled New York Strip.
A fabulous gift for all who enjoy a hearty Cabernet with their Rib Eye, or who exploring the intricacies of Napa Valley and its appellations.
Cultivar Gift Cards
Up your gifting with our Cultivar Wine and Cultivar San Francisco Gift Cards!
We love them for teachers, babysitters, dog walkers, all the people in your life that make up your village!
Choose from actual plastic cards from Cultivar San Francisco or our instant gratification virtual gift cards.
Napa Harvest 2022: Sauvignon Blanc Is Picked At Caspar Estate
On Tuesday morning, August 23rd at 7am, the crew gathered at the bottom of the House Block at Caspar Estate to pick the Sauvignon Blanc. Caspar Estate is located in the hills above Rutherford in Napa Valley, just off Whitehall Lane. Because of the hillside location, the day stated off with a light misting of fog in the vines and a cool temperature of 58 degrees.
The mist lifted gradually until we could eventually see all the way down the row. The clusters looked ready, and tasted even better! Julien Fayard, our winemaker, determined that the grapes were at the perfect brix, and the picking began.
By 10 am, the sun was out on the hill and our vineyard was drenched in the warmth of the sunlight. It quickly climbed to 82 degrees.
Napa Harvest 2022 Brings The Promise Of Another Amazing Vintage
Each harvest is unique, and Napa Harvest 2022 was no exception. In June, we had Julien come down to our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF, for the 2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc party. Julian raved about the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, and especially the unique, velvety mouthfeel he creates through fermentation on the lees.
“With this next vintage, I plan to leave the fruit hanging on the vine even longer,” he said. “This will give the flavor profile even more depth.”
Strangely enough, we ended up picking on the exact same day we picked back in 2021! The main difference, however, was that temperatures were slightly warmer during the 2022 growing season. So, as it turned out, Julien got exactly what he wanted.
With Mother Nature’s help—and Julien’s experienced hand—the 2022 vintage is sure to be a stellar one!
The 2022 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc will be available in Spring of 2023. All Caspar Estate wines are available by allocation only. Click here to learn more about how you can get your hands on this remarkable vintage!
Want to see more photos of Napa Harvest 2022? Check out our harvest pictures on Instagram. Inquire about Caspar Allocation.
The Best All Purpose BBQ Rub for Father’s Day
“The best all-purpose BBQ rub for Father’s Day” is not a title to be taken lightly. Ask anyone who considers themselves a Grill Master, and they’ll tell you they’ve got the best recipe in town. A recipe honed through years of trial and error. A recipe that stands up to the greatest barbecue rubs in culinary history.
But they’d be wrong, because we’ve got the best all-purpose BBQ rub 🙂
Alright, we’ll stop bragging and start proving ourselves. This is a recipe created and fine-tuned by our own John Taylor, Marketing Manager for Cultivar Wine and Caspar Estate. A grill enthusiast since his formative years, John was big on store-bought marinades before until he caught an episode of Chef Bobby Flay’s first TV show, Grillin’ & Chillin. In the episode, Chef Flay explained how a dry rub flavors without tenderizing. This is especially important when smoking or grilling.
The soon-to-be Celebrity Chef recommended a few spices to get started, and using this as a base, John began experimenting with his own recipe.
Ingredients For The Best All-Purpose BBQ Rub
A dry rub is any combination of spices, salt and sugar used to season meat prior to cooking. Unlike seasonings, rubs are almost never added after cooking. Done properly, a dry rub can also be an alternative to a wet brine.
To create the best all-purpose BBQ rub for Father’s Day, you’ll need the following:
- 4 tbsp. Salt
- 4 tbsp. Pepper
- 4 tbsp. Smoked Paprika
- 4 tbsp. Chili Powder
- 3 tbsp. Brown Sugar
- 3 tbsp. Onion Powder
- 3 tbsp. Garlic Powder
- 3 tbsp. Lemon Pepper
- 2 tbsp. Ground Cumin
- 2 tbsp. Ground Coriander
- 1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Combine all ingredients in a Mason jar or other airtight container and blend thoroughly. Store in a cool, dry place.
Using Your All-Purpose Dry Rub
As the name indicates, this is an excellent all-purpose rub: use it on steaks, pork loin, brisket, fish, or chicken. The salt & brown sugar can act as a dry brine, so we recommend applying it to your meat two hours ahead of grill time.
That said, you can use this rub right before you place your meat on the grill, or even as long as 8 hours before grilling or smoking. If you want to season your meat for longer than 2 hours, store the seasoned meat in the refrigerator. Then, take it out about an hour before placing it on the grill to return the meat to room temperature.
Of course, there’s one more necessary ingredient: the wine! Nothing goes with steaks quite like a Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon. We have varietals from Coombsville, Oakville, and other Napa appellations that will be the highlight of our party. If you’re putting pork, lamb, or burgers on the grill, try a Cultivar Pinot Noir. Cultivar features Pinots from Sonoma Coast, Russian River, Alexander Valley, and other premiere Pinot Noir regions.
And if you’re looking for the perfect Father’s Day present for your grilling dad, try our “Father’s Day Cabernet” gift set. A bottle each of our 2019 Cultivar “Gold Label” Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, and our 2017 Cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, in a beautiful Cultivar gift box. Specially priced at $75 for Father’s Day!
Caspar Estate Heads Into Spring On A High Note
James Suckling Awards 92 Points to 2019 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Internationally regarded as one of the world’s most influential wine critics, James Suckling awarded our 2019 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 92 points, calling it, “Full-bodied with taught tannins…there is good concentration and depth here, with dark fruit and woody spice. Succinct and well-composed finish. Best after 2024.”
Thank you, James!
Spring Brings Clusters and The Promise of Another Amazing Vintage
It has been a near-perfect Spring at our hillside estate overlooking the gorgeous Napa Valley. Cool mornings, punctuated by scattered rains, brought forth a perfectly-timed bud break. Clusters have appeared on the vines, while the natural ground covering grows quickly through the rows. We are looking forward to another spectacular vintage!
Winemaker Julien Fayard Raves About our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc at our Spring Release Party
With more than two decades of winemaking expertise—including years as Director of Winemaking for the legendary Philippe Melka—Julien Fayard is one of Napa Valley’s most respected winemakers. We’re proud to have him heading up the team at Caspar Estate & Cultivar Wine.
It’s also a pleasure to have Julien come down to our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF, for “Meet The Winemaker” events. Julien mingled with the crowd on our Chestnut Street Deck to talk about (and sip!) the 2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley.
Julian raved about our newest Sauvignon Blanc, and especially the unique, velvety mouthfeel he creates through fermentation on the lees. “With this next vintage, I plan to leave the fruit hanging on the vine even longer,” he said. “This will give the flavor profile even more depth.”
With Mother Nature’s help—and Julien’s experienced hand—the 2022 vintage is sure to be a stellar one!
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Being organic, we produce our own compost for our vegetation. What we don’t make ourselves, we supplement with an organic fish fertilizer emulsion.
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.
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.
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.
“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!
The Best Springtime Wines – A Sneak Peak At What’s Ahead
In Napa Valley, the best springtime wines are typically released just as the first blooms are beginning to appear. For Cultivar Wine and Caspar Estate, it’s no different. We like to release our fresh, bright Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé just as the days begin to warm. This year, we have some amazing springtime wines ready to release, and we thought we’d give you a sneak peak of what we have in store.
2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc: A Springtime Tradition
The fourth release of our Estate Sauvignon Blanc showcases a wine that’s truly developed its own unique style and character. Shining from the glass with a pale straw color, our Estate Sauvignon Blanc reveals tropical notes that mingle with dried apricot, starfruit, and the signature minerality that comes from our hillside vineyard.
The complexity of the flavor profile is gorgeous. Grapefruit, banana, passion fruit, and a Crème Brûlée quality comes from extended time on the lees. Steel tank fermentation and just a touch of oak round out the finish with lemongrass and savory notes of Herbs de Provence. It’s smooth and light, but with bold acidity.
Enjoy it with ceviche, endive salad with shrimp, or lobster pasta.
Our 2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc will be released to our allocation members in early April.
Rosé Season Is A Highlight For Springtime Wines
One of the best springtime wines is Rosé – though it’s quickly becoming a year-round wine.
We’re simply in love with the color and the flavor profile of our new 2021 Cultivar Rosé. A pale, pink glow shines from the glass, underlying the delicate varietals we used to create this wine. On the nose, our Rosé bursts with floral notes of honeysuckle, jasmine, lilies, and of course, roses. Crisp flavors of mandarin orange, Meyer lemon, and muddled strawberries greet the palate, with subtle, underlying notes of red licorice and Madagascar vanilla. Stainless steel fermentation highlights a light, clean finish with bright acid, making this wine perfect for both poolside sipping and picnics in the park.
Winemaker Julien Fayard has brought a Provencal flair to this incredible blend of southern Rhone varietals. For this vintage, we sourced 71% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 4% Cinsault Noir from the unique terroir of the Sierra Foothills in California. Rosé is one of the most food-friendly wines you can find, so pair this with everything from seared scallops to grilled pork chops.
The best way to get these wines is to join the Cultivar Wine Club. Wine Club members get the first allocation of all new releases, plus 20% off the regular price. There are other terrific perks to being a club member, so join up today!
Here’s to spring, and all the delicious wines that pair with it!
