Terroir

Hertelendy Vineyards sources its fruit, not just from our 4+ acre mountainside 1365 ft elevation “Rockwell Ridge” estate vineyard (35 ft below the Howell Mountain AVA demarcation line) planted in 1993, but also from ultra premium volcanic sites around the Napa Valley including areas like Atlas Peak, Pritchard Hill, Howell Mountain, Oakville, and Coombsville. Specializing in all five Bordeaux varietals, the majority of Hertelendy’s red vitis vinifera grapes come from tuffaceous rocky soil that is located on the steep, western facing Vaca Mountain slope (with Oakville being the exception). These slopes have volcanic ash, red clay, and granite-like sub soil, getting the best of both worlds: mountainside structure and rich flavors from the valley floor. These hillside locations, blessed with low fertility soil, consistently produce wines of unusual intensity and concentration. The rocky terrain provides excellent drainage and naturally stresses the vines, producing wines of character, complexity, and elegance.  We also source some of the most ultra-premium Pinot Noir and Old Wente Clone Chardonnay (from fifty year old vines) planted on world famous Gold Ridge Sandy Loam top-soils in the Russian River Valley.