Winemaker/owner David Vergari seeks
out growers who share his philosophy and vineyards that
are planted in the right place under the right conditions
for high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. David
works with growers who shoulder the responsibility of
being stewards of the land and who strive to employ organic,
sustainable and/or biodynamic farming techniques.
Meticulous farming is employed with
multiple passes through the vine rows each year for pruning,
shoot thinning and positioning, selective leaf pulling,
hedging, weeding, “green harvesting” (the
removal of less ripe clusters to achieve optimal ripeness)
and bird-netting. These select growers know that less
is oftentimes more, and will drop as much or more fruit
on the ground as is harvested to achieve ultimate balance
and ripeness in each cluster. And it is all done by hand.
There is no other way, no shortcuts.
The goal is physiological ripeness with
the grapes, not statistical. It’s a subtle but vitally
important process that occurs over time. The seeds turn
brown with lignification, the texture of the grape skin
changes, and the vines turn their attention to ripening
their progeny. At that perfect moment in time, the grapes
are hand-picked into ¼ ton bins, either at nighttime
or in the earliest hours of the morning.
“The majority of my winemaking
is done here in the vineyard, in concert with the people
who watch over the vines.”
Van
der Kamp (Pinot Noir)
“The Van der Kamp family have farmed
on Sonoma Mountain for decades. Introduced to them by
my close friend Greg LaFollette, they were the first people
I worked with when I launched the Vergari label. Ulysses
Van der Kamp says that it’s easy to grow Pinot Noir.
That is, if you’re willing to work twelve hours
every day! He and his father, Martin, continue to refine
their artistry of leaf and canopy management to produce
magnificent Pinot Noir. And there is a mystical, spiritual
feeling here as well. Tibetan prayer flags fluttering
in the breeze, mating pairs of hawks flying overhead…the
land speaks to me.”
DuNah
(Pinot Noir)
“My family
has been in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County
for three generations and it blows me away to see how
far people have taken winegrowing here, literally in my
own backyard. Part of me feels sad to see the old orchards
plowed under, but then again, people are not in the business
of farming to lose money forever, so change is inevitable.
When I met Rick and Diane DuNah I was struck by their
strong character and moral fiber. They appreciate honesty
and live by it as well.”
Sangiacomo
(Pinot Noir)
“The Sangiacomo family have been
mainstays in Sonoma County for several generations. My
first experience working with their grapes goes back nearly
fifteen years ago at Joseph Phelps vineyards.
When I learned about the new plantings on Roberts Road
in the Petaluma Gap and started drinking wines made from
there I had to be in on the fun!
Mike Sangiacomo is a major dude who strives to get it
right.”
Napa
Valley (Cabernet Sauvignon)
“I learned
about this vineyard from Mark Herold. Mark succeeded me
as the research enologist at Joseph Phelps Vineyards and
then left to start his own winery, Merus, (achieving considerable
renown along the way!). He thought I should throw my hat
in the ring and I started working with Peter Nissen, the
vineyard manager, in 2003. The first time I set eyes on
this vineyard I knew it had the right stuff, something
I was taught to appreciate early on in my career both
at the Hess Collection and Joseph Phelps Vineyards and
while working in Europe and Australia.”
