Under the Radar Wines in Napa Valley's Stags Leap | Winemaker Christopher Vandendriessche

White Rock Vineyards is making premium, single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Stag’s Leap range in Napa Valley. Watch our video interview and tour the White Rock estate with Winemaker Christopher Vandendriessche.

Nestled at the base of the Stag’s Leap range in the heart of Napa Valley lies a 35 acre naturally farmed vineyard and a family that’s been creating premium, hand crafted wines for generations.

The family bought it in 1977 and property was originally planted in the 1870s. White Rock Vineyards is a 100% estate winery. It’s a historic vineyard and a single vineyard project. They have farmed organically since purchase.

Soil is a white volcanic soil called tufa. Good for vines and creates a mineral style wine. Tufa absorbs water in winter and gives back in summer, eliminating need for irrigation. It produces an intense flavor profile with a lot of structure that will age well. A good backbone that balances fruit and spiciness of the wine.

The wine caves are ideal place for wine storage and aging. Humidity is at 70% and temperatures are around 59-61 degrees – and excellent temperature for wine to age. Wines like a nice calm, cool place.

White Rock Vineyards ages all wines in the wine caves against the rocks before release. Reds spend 3-5 years in the bottle before release, as they follow the French philosophy that wines get better as they age.

Vineyard hillsides are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, with different profiles from top of hills and facing of vines. On lower slopes the typical Bordeaux blending varietals are planted – Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec. Lower slopes are cooler, with fog in the morning and better suited for the estate Chardonnay.

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