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Estate Vineyards

Great wines reflect the complexity and character of great vineyards, and the vision of those who farm them. Rising to 1,800 feet, Chappellet’s Estate Vineyards on Pritchard Hill have been hailed as “Napa’s Grand Cru” and recognized as one of the world’s preeminent sites for growing Bordeaux varietals—in particular Cabernet Sauvignon. Pritchard Hill presents a rare tapestry of growing environments, and features a variety of elevations, exposures and soil types. The mountainside is farmed as 34 distinctive blocks—including approximately 25 distinct blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon, and plantings of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc. Chappellet was one of the first Napa Valley wineries to plant cover crops and adopt no-till farming practices, and today the entire vineyard is farmed organically. From the vineyard team’s commitment to low yields and meticulous canopy management to the Chappellet family’s belief in replanting to augment quality, the cultivation of Pritchard Hill has produced California’s most profound mountain-grown wines.

With a variety of elevations, exposures and soil types, which include varying depths of Sobrante loam and Hambright rock outcrop, Pritchard Hill presents a rare tapestry of growing environments. To honor this diversity, Jon-Mark Chappellet and longtime vineyard manager Dave Pirio guide Chappellet’s dedicated year-round vineyard team to farm the mountainside as 34 distinctive blocks—including approximately 25 different blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon. Specific varietals, clones and rootstocks have been selected for each block, based on a complex understanding of each individual site. This emphasis on diversity as opposed to uniformity has resulted in an expansive palette of fruit— including six different Cabernet clones—from which to blend Chappellet wines. As a result, even during challenging vintages the site always has blocks of fruit that excel.

In addition to their pioneering work in the area of high-elevation vineyard planting, the Chappellets have long been advocates of more environmentally conscious farming methods. Beginning in the early 1980s (long before the term sustainable was ever used), Chappellet was one of the first wineries to plant cover crops as a method for soil conservation and erosion prevention. This early adoption of practices such as no-till farming has evolved into a comprehensive program of sustainable techniques used to eliminate the use of synthetic chemicals. These techniques include the use of cover crops, bird boxes, on-site composting and organic fertilizers.
As a result, 90 percent of the grapes grown on the estate vineyards come from blocks that are farmed using organic methods. A majority of these blocks recently finished an extensive three-year certification process and are now certified organic, with the ultimate goal of achieving certification for the rest of the vineyard in the future. Adding to the integrity and health of the site, only a modest 16 percent of the property is under vine, meaning a large expanse of uncultivated land surrounds the vineyards with a natural buffer that protects the plants from unwanted pests and chemicals.

Embodying the hard work of two generations, winegrowing on Pritchard Hill reflects an intimate relationship between the Chappellet family and a spectacular vineyard property. From the vineyard team’s commitment to low yields and meticulous canopy management to the Chappellet family’s belief in replanting to augment quality, the cultivation of Chappellet’s Estate Vineyards on Pritchard Hill has produced some of California’s most profound mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons. Of the vineyards’ 100 acres, approximately 65 are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder consisting of small blocks of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc.