Somerston just finished construction of a winery in a renovated 12,000-square-foot barn in Soda Valley. SCU Lightning Complex: Wind-Whipped Flames Straining Fire Lines; Residents Forced To Flee Homes Nearby on Highway 128, the fire torched the trees and consumed the dry grasses near the Somerston Winery between Lake Hennessey and Lake Berryessa. All Somerston Estate wines are produced from the estate vineyards, fermented and aged at the winery, and sold throughout the U.S. and export markets and at the Priest Ranch and at the Somerston tasting rooms. The Somerston estate is the home of sustainable vineyards. Since Somerston has higher elevations with a consistently cooling wind blowing through the vineyards, the major issue they have with their “mountain fruit” is getting ripe tannins by making sure the skins and seeds reach full maturity and so a long hang time on the vines is critical and certain blocks need special attention in terms of making the grape bunches completely available to the sunlight. The vineyards at the Somerston Estate Winery & Vineyards in St. Helena. Craig expressed with a beaming smile, “It is a stunning place even with the fire damage” and in these times a custodian’s role is no longer just preserving and protecting the land from overdevelopment but it has become a necessity for the role to find new ways to battle the erratic climatic conditions and be up for any other unforeseen dilemmas; Somerston is determined to become one of the greatest estates not only when it comes to the wine quality and the expression of place but also in fighting for this woodland paradise among the Vaca Mountains, even in the most difficult of times. by The Wine Guys, Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr Craig Becker is a man of many titles: co-founder of Somerston Wine Co., general manager and director of winemaking. Somerston’s new winery and tasting room are in a renovated barn — that has state-of-the art, energy-efficient design. Although Craig is happy to speak about all the “awesome” work that his assistant winemaker and crew employ in the winery, he makes no bones about the Somerston Estate wines being mainly about the land, “designing and planting vineyards makes the whole winemaking process so much easier.”. “On a positive note, our team is safe and well, although still in a bit of shock. melissa@somerstonwineco.com (707) … Somerston Wine Co. 3450 Sage Canyon Rd. Less than two months ago, lightning storms sparked fires that lit … 2012 Somerston Stornoway Red Wine This too was a blended wine comprised of 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petite Verdot. The grounds are breath taking. Learn how your comment data is processed. The estate suffered substantial vineyard infrastructure damage, yet all structures were saved. Newton Vineyards: Newton suffered damage from the current Glass Fire and work will begin on restoration as soon as possible. We look forward to the 2021 growing season next year, producing high-quality grapes for our wines and those of our partners.”. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Lamborn Family Vineyards in Angwin announced last month it wouldn’t make a 2020 vintage after the LNU Lightning Complex fire choked its vines. And so they will work on better ways to fight erosion while they replant their 25,000 vines in 2021. Davis and so he has been obsessed with the winegrowing side during his 23 year career in the wine world in California. Less than two months ago, lightning storms sparked fires that lit … The extensive smoke negatively affected the grapes, prompting Becker to cancel the estate’s harvest and notify long-term buyers that the fruit from the 2020 vintage would not be available. Price: $475. Craig Becker is a man of many titles: co-founder of Somerston Wine Co., general manager and director of winemaking. On the palate I found the wine tastes of dark fruit, like blackberries, blueberries, etc. You have entered an incorrect email address! In mid-August of this year, a violently destructive fire overtook a stunning winery estate called Somerston, tucked away in the eastern Vaca Mountains of Napa Valley with its sprawling woodlands of evergreen scrubs and majestic bay trees. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. For more information on Somerston wines, visit www.somertsonestate.com. Completed recently, the new winemaking facility features many new proven technologies including the first process waste anaerobic biofilter in Napa County, and one of the country’s first carbon neutral cooling, heating, and hot water systems. Somerston Estate has two labels with the “Somerston Estate” bottlings representing the glory of their single blocks and the other label is called “Priest Ranch” honoring the original founder by illustrating certain plots that are more than the sum of their parts when they are blended in any given year. It is ironic that some of their sustainable practices to avoid erosion of their hillside vineyards such as adding hay in the ground and planting cover crops made it more conducive for the vines to burn as typically vineyards are a fire break as they are widely spaced with very little between the rows that would be fuel for the fires. Winery completed at Somerston Estate 2017 When 2017 fires raged through the region, we lost the entire vintage due to smoke and ash in the vineyards. 2015 Priest Ranch, Block 81 Malbec: A deliciously generous wine with juicy plum fruit, ripe blueberry and candy violets that had a round, silky texture and flavorful finish. Established in 2007 by three families, the 244 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards include 144 individual blocks, from which two distinct wine brands are produced. Fire on the Sonoma coast came within 200 feet of Fort Ross winery’s tasting room. Craig Becker said that many of his customers like to get this set and have blending parties where they blend various percentages of the varietal bottlings to find the one that each person likes best. The decision to forgo the 2017 vintage came as a result of testing and tasting the grapes. One of their Priest Ranch blends is called “Coach Gun” a name that is a play on when Wells Fargo commissioned a special shotgun for stage coach drivers in the 1860s and it is a blend from all over the property with the idea of making the best wine out of Bordeaux red varieties in any given year. By Tuesday afternoon fires had reached the western ridge of the property, prompting a majority of Somerston’s staff to evacuate. Sometimes they use up to five varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec – once a major player in Bordeaux red wines. The fruit there was the sole source for Somerston Estate and Priest Ranch estate wines, and the estate also grew fruit for 12 other premium Napa wineries. Located in Napa Valley’s eastern Vaca mountain range, the 1,682-acre estate consists of two historic valleys with 244 acres of vineyards. We make no compromises,” says Craig Becker. While the location feels fairly remote, in actuality it is only about a 15 minute drive east of the intersection of Highway 128 and the Silverado Trail. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Somerston wines represent distinctive block designated wines, while Priest Ranch wines are a blend of fruit from multiple vineyard blocks throughout the estate. 2015 Priest Ranch, Block 100 Petit Verdot. “I have redeveloped throughout my career 150 acres of hillside in total,” explained Craig and to be part of such a long term project of redevelopment of a big piece of land in Napa is exciting and keeps the passion flowing for him and his team. And he has lately been able to see a lot of bears and foxes because unfortunately they have had a significant amount of their protective trees and bushes burned down but it just gives him more impetus to help the land come back. You may opt-out by. Marketing Manager. After Craig spoke to some friends that have some experience with burned vineyards, he decided it was best to replant the 20 acres that were burned by the fires as despite the vines usually coming back to life the following season, there seems to be a tendency of the vines slowly dying after two years of the fire event. The Hennessy Fire began on Monday, August 17, when lightning struck in several places near the Somerston Estate. For details on Priest Ranch wines, visit www.priestranchwines.com. Somerston Estate is also a long-standing grower for 12 ultra-premium Napa Valley wineries. We never heard a winemaker talk so passionately about how he designs a plot I write about wine as well as the passion-fueled journeys of the people who make it and the fascinating cultures and places where wine is made. Becker is now the general manager and director of winemaking at Somerston Estate, having co-founded the Somerston Wine Company with Chapman. The Hennessy Fire began on Monday, August 17, when lightning struck in several places near the Somerston Estate. He dreams of the “gorgeous” purple needle grass that only last for three weeks in the spring as it was always spectacular to behold. The estate is the sole fruit source for the Somerston Estate and Priest Ranch estate-bottled wines and focuses on high-quality viticulture. The property is 1628 acres of natural beauty, with over 200 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards, winery, and a developing ranch and farm Our two valleys are split by the highest point on Sage Canyon Road, topping out at almost 2800 feet in elevation, the valley floors rest at 800 feet above sea level. Craig and his wife are currently living on the Somerston Estate in one of the homes as his own neighborhood was almost completely burned down with the exception of his house and one other neighbor and so they won’t be able to move back for a while. Napa Valley’s Somerston Estate Forgoes 2020 Vintage Due Smoke Damage from Wildfires, Growing Forward: Vineyard & Grower Virtual Conference, Argyle Winery and Pacific Northwest College of Art Celebrate Fifth Annual “Art of Sparkling” Release, Nominations Open for Wine Industry ‘Distinguished Service’ Award, Grape and Bulk Market Activity Increases as Wineries Seek Ways to Supplement a Smaller, Smoke Plagued Vintage, Somerston Estate Collaborates with Steve Leveque as Consulting Winemaker, Technical Customer Care Manager at Recruiting Associates Network (Santa Rosa, CA, USA), Quality and Production Assistant at Recruiting Associates Network (Fairfield, CA, USA), International Canned Wine Competition Now Accepting Entries. There are a couple important core values that brought these founding families (Becker, Wilson and Chapman) together: preservation of most of the original state of the land, keeping a symbiotic life cycle among the plants and wildlife and to build a wine estate that would become one of the greatest in decades to come. St Helena, CA 94574. info@somerstonwineco.com (707) 967-8414. 2015 Priest Ranch, Coach Gun blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot and 20% Malbec. Craig Becker general manager, co-founder and director of winemaking of Somerston Estate in Napa ... [+] Valley, Since there are over 144 different blocks on the property facing every direction that exists as well as having variable water holding capacities, differing amount of organic matter and a multitude of soil types, it has become the ideal playground for Craig Becker as he started off studying physiology and soil science at U.C. I have taken a wide range of professional wine courses but the culmination of my wine education was earning the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in 2010. The Wine Industry Advisor is an Online Industry Publication featuring news, articles, and editorial content relevant to the wine industry. 2015 Priest Ranch, Block 100 Petit Verdot: Brooding, dark aromas with concentrated black fruit on the palate intermixed with dried herbs and a firm texture balanced by plush fruit that had an intriguing smoky finish that was reminiscent of a smoldering cigar. I am the founder and sole. The 1,682-acre Somerston Estate winery in the eastern Vaca Mountains was damaged in the Hennessey Fire, and the wildfire’s smoke damaged the grapes. “At Somerston, we take pride in the grapes we grow, sell, and vinify. The 2015 Priest Ranch Coach Gun is offered in a set that has six bottles that includes three of the 2015 Coach Gun and one bottle each of a 2015 varietal bottling of each of the varieties that made this blend: Cabernet Sauvignon from Block 136, Petit Verdot from Block 100 and Malbec from Block 81. The winery consists of a remodeled agricultural barn. It was the first time I had seen a press release with an announcement of this kind. “We expect that the estate will regain its beauty with thriving oak woodlands and grasslands in a few years. But the title that seems to have captured most attention is vineyard designer. But the title that seems to have captured most attention is vineyard designer. The below are the varietal bottlings of the 2015 Coach Gun blend: 2015 Priest Ranch, Block 136 Cabernet Sauvignon. Christine Sully. The vineyards at the Somerston Estate Winery & Vineyards, photographed on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020 in St. Helena, Calif. Wineries like Somerston are … (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Lamborn Family Vineyards in Angwin announced last month it wouldn't make a 2020 vintage after the LNU Lightning Complex fire choked its vines. The vineyards at the Somerston Estate Winery & Vineyards in St. Helena. A Large Napa Valley Wine Estate Makes No Wine In 2020 Due To Fires Yet Only Adds To Their Sense Of Purpose Forbes - Cathrine Todd. Kent Nishimura, Los Angeles Times The vineyards at the Somerston Estate Winery & … (September 23, 2020; St. Helena, CA)—Craig Becker, co-founder, general manager and director of viticulture and winemaking of Somerston Estate announced today that his team will not harvest any fruit from the 2020 vintage due to smoke damage from Northern California’s Hennessey Fire. “It just keeps coming. The Somerston property is the foundation of everything we do. A private fire group that they hired as well as some of their workers who volunteered spent 48 hours courageously keeping the fires at bay saving the structures. “We are laying the foundation of the next 50, 60, 100 years,” noted Craig Becker, general manager, co-founder and director of winemaking and he further expressed that it was a lot of “pressure and responsibility” to get it right. Earlier, Cal Fire had ordered mandatory evacuations for residents and businesses from Turtle Rock to Somerston Estate Winery, and an evacuation advisory from … Nearly 1400 acres of the estate burned in the Hennessey Fire. “We stand unwavering in our long-term commitment to this property, as well as to our winery partners, customers and distributors.”. 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Despite them paying homage to the historical importance of the two estates together such as still keeping Priest Ranch on the sign – named after the original founder of the property James Joshua Priest, a Gold Rush prospector, the combination of the two estates (Priest Ranch and Elder Valley) has taken on the name Somerston – a company name that the Chapman family, who are the majority owners, has used for other endeavors. © 2007 - 2021 - Wine Industry Network LLC. By Tuesday afternoon fires had reached the western ridge of the property, prompting a majority of Somerston’s staff to evacuate. Somerston Estate is a 1,682-acre winery estate located in the eastern Vaca Mountains. In mid-August of this year, a violently destructive fire overtook a stunning winery estate called Somerston, tucked away in the eastern Vaca Mountains of Napa … And although they have gone to great lengths to replant many of the hillside vineyards that range from 800 to 2,400 feet in elevation as well as implement everything from having 600 sheep mow their land to designing vineyards with GPS modeling by tracking the sun’s influence for each block, the past few years of fires has created a number of devastating setbacks; losses include the collapse of one of their top blocks in 2017 with no red wine being made to not making any wine at all in 2020. In mid-August of this year, a violently destructive fire overtook a stunning winery estate called Somerston, tucked away in the eastern Vaca Mountains of Napa Valley with its sprawling woodlands of evergreen scrubs and majestic bay trees. 2015 Priest Ranch, Block 136 Cabernet Sauvignon: A pretty nose with floral and sweet red fruit notes with integrated tannins that had a nice amount of mid-palate weight for a Cabernet Sauvignon with cassis flavors and bright acidity. ... Somerston Estate and Nichelini Vineyards, but vines and major winery buildings are all … They have parceled together a little piece of heaven on earth that is representative of the real Napa Valley outside of heavily touristed areas as only 14% of their 1,682 acre-estate is planted to vines and Napa Valley as a whole only has “a little over 10%” planted as vineyards. Fantastic opportunity with a fast-growing wine & spirits industry supplier. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. All Rights Reserved. Nearly 1,400 acres of the estate burned in the fires. Somerston Estate Vineyards in Napa Valley, California. Also, I was named one of the Top 15 Most Influential Wine Bloggers by USA Wine Ratings and one of the Top 10 Wine Influencers on Twitter by Global Data. We are a leading supplier of worldwide of premium winery equipment with an established reputation for superior quality and innovative design. Complex aromas of graphite, dried leaves and black licorice and a fine structure with an overall freshness on the long finish with hints of basil and black berries. While the scrub pine, madrona, manzanita, bay trees, and other shrubs did burn, about 98% of the oak trees on our property did not,” says Craig. CAL FIRE was unable to provide resources, so a small group of employees volunteered to stay and work with a privately hired fire crew to protect the winery and property structures. Many winery workers lost their homes. Somerston Wine Co produces limited production wines from the Somerston Ranch – a site still well under the radar of most visitors and locals. Napa Valley certainly has represented the place where wine dreams come true, becoming a beacon for all the other regions outside of those historical select “classic” regions as it was proof that greatness could be achieved even in young winegrowing regions; but they now face a barrage of obstacles, many of them still unknown, and Somerston represents not only that constant fight to keep this great wine region going but to even take it to the next level of quality. Wineries including Somerston are forgoing a 2020 vintage due to the … The currently released 2015 Priest Ranch Coach Gun only uses three varieties as Craig said that the Merlot and Cabernet Franc “were not good enough and so they didn’t qualify” for the blend in 2015 and so the current makeup is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Petit Verdot and 20% Malbec and, surprisingly, Craig noted that Petit Verdot has in the past made up the majority of the blend; very early in his career Craig learned from another winemaker that one should pick Petit Verdot when there are no more leaves left on the vines and that advice has held pretty much true for most of his harvests of the grape. Melissa Jackson. I am the founder and sole contributor of the wine blog Dame Wine which has been nominated for various awards: Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards, Wine Blog Awards and Born Digital Wine Awards. On the nose I got hints of spice, coffee and mild fruit. The vineyards consists of 87 vineyard blocks each with diverse soils and mocroclimates. Somerston Estate is a 1,682-acre winery estate located in the eastern Vaca Mountains. Before pursuing writing full time, I spent many years selling various wines from around the world in the Manhattan (New York City) market starting in 2003, such as entry level large brands, small artisanal producers and ultra premium fine wines – which gives an interesting perspective to my writing. By Tuesday afternoon fires had reached the western ridge of the property, prompting a majority of Somerston’s staff to evacuate. The winery was one of many that has suffered losses due to the Glass fire. The fire is totally out of control and burning towards the San Lorenzo Valley and Santa Cruz. Nearly 1,400 acres of the estate burned in the fire, which … The finish was nice with a little spice and some tannins. I write about wine as well as the passion-fueled journeys of the people who make it and the fascinating cultures and places where wine is made. “It just keeps coming. About Somerston Winery. Craig Becker walked among the vines of Somerston Estate in St. Helena, Calif., and surveyed the rolling hills before him. At one point the property was besieged by three fires – As of Tuesday morning, other than closures along Highway 128, Somerston Estate has not been affected by the Glass Fire that ignited in St. Helena this weekend, Becker reports. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The vineyards at the Somerston Estate Winery & Vineyards in St. Helena. Wine tasting is by appointment only and is well worth the visit. Every few years, another fire,” says Nylind Stanley. It began, “Craig Becker, co-founder, general manager and director of viticulture and winemaking of Somerston Estate, announced today that his team will not harvest any fruit from the 2020 vintage due to smoke damage from Northern California’s Hennessey Fire.” CZU Lightning Complex Fires: San Mateo, Santa Cruz counties Nearby on Highway 128, the fire torched the trees and consumed the dry grasses near the Somerston Winery between Lake Hennessey and Lake Berryessa. A storyteller who focuses on wine and the people who make it. Over the years, starting in 2004, three families slowly accumulated a 1,682 acre property, the combination of what was known as Priest Ranch and Elder Valley since the 1800s, to eventually form Somerston Estate. Craig Becker walked among the vines of Somerston Estate in St. Helena, Calif., and surveyed the rolling hills before him. Somerstone Estates have comfortable apartment residences in 22 impeccably maintained buildings, it’s the perfect place for a luxurious, suburban style of living for anyone. The vineyard produces about 1,800 cases of wine per year with grapes grown on just under 9 acres. Beautiful Vibrant Sunset in Napa Valley getty In mid-August of this year, a violently destructive fire overtook a stunning winery estate called Somerston, tucked away in the eastern Vaca Mountains of Napa Valley with its sprawling woodlands of evergreen scrubs and majestic bay trees. But he understands how fortunate they have been, not only his own personal situation but as bad as things got for them in 2020 so many have it so much worse; being a custodian of their Somerston Estate has even taken on a deeper meaning as he thinks of all the native grasses and other species that had come back after they started using the 600 sheep to mow as the practice kept the weeds from dominating the soil. At one point the property was besieged by three fires - Hennessey, Glass and 115 - that converged together ultimately threatening to burn down many structures on the estate while the fire departments where already overwhelmed with trying to save neighborhoods filled with homes and so Somerston was on its own. This year, they would have produced 22,500 cases for their own brands, but the fire wiped out the entire crop. Vineyards & Winery Office Manager. Fires burned land at Brown Estate in Napa, though buildings survived. Every few years, another fire,” says Nylind Stanley. christine@somerstonwineco.com (707) 967-8414. Unfortunately, 1,400 acres of their 1,682 acre-estate was damaged (the vineyards take up 244 acres with only 20 acres of vineyards burned) yet the possibility of the unburned vines suffering high degrees of smoke taint had them make the painful decision to cancel the 2020 vintage – making no wine. 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