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September 26, 2022

Harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon At Cultivar’s Leaky Lake Vineyard

Napa Valley Night Harvest of Cabernet Grapes

Harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon from our Leaky Lake Vineyard began late night on September 8th. Located about a quarter mile up the road from Caspar Estate, the Leaky Lake Vineyard is where Cultivar grows our limited production, vineyard-designate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Leaky Lake Vineyard Stats:
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Clone(s): 191/337
Planted: 2007
Size: 3.5 acres
Rootstock: 101-14
Exposure: West and North
Elevation: 1000 feet
AVA: Napa Valley
Soil Type / Deposit: Clay Loam / Iron

Leaky Lake Vineyard on map

Gathering The Crew For Harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2022 harvest in Napa Valley was a busy one. Early September brought some rapid changes in temperature, which made the fruit reach its peak much sooner than expected. Within a five-day period, our crew had picked our all our Caspar Estate fruit, along with the Cabernet Sauvignon at Leaky Lake Vineyard!

With their grape hooks sharpened and their headlamps on, the crew was ready for harvesting Cabernet Sauvignon by the light of the moon.

Why Harvest At Night?

Harvesting at night is a time-honored practice in the Napa Valley. In fact, most wine regions around the world typically harvest during the late night or early-morning hours.

Picking at night helps ensure that all the grapes are at the same temperature. This means there’s a higher degree of control at the start of the fermentation process and less oxidation of the grapes. This results in better wine, lower energy costs, and greater efficiency.

In particularly hot climates—which can include the Napa Valley—picking at night also means cooler conditions for the farmworkers.

Leaky Lake: Cultivar’s Vineyard-Designate Cabernet Sauvignon

If you couldn’t tell already, we love the Leaky Lake Vineyard. Its unique hillside location, clay loam soil, and position above the fog line make it one of those uniquely Napa Valley properties.

The wine we produce from this vineyard has a signature power, elegance, and intensity, thanks in no small part to our winemaker, Julien Fayard. Julien loves to work with terroir-driven wines, and each subsequent vintage of Leaky Lake Cabernet Sauvignon is a true reflection of the growing season.

We typically make less than 75 cases each year of Cultivar’s Leaky Lake Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of that goes first to The Cultivar Wine Club, with limited quantities then made available in our online store.

September 26, 2022

Cabernet Sauvignon Harvest at Caspar Estate

Harvest Is Complete At Caspar Estate!

In the warm evening hours of Tuesday, September 13th, our crew gathered at Caspar Estate for the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest.

It was one of the earliest harvests we’ve experienced. This was because Mother Nature gave us some unexpected weather fluctuations in the first part of the month. But when we measured the brix, conditions were perfect, and our Cabernet Sauvignon harvest went off without a hitch.

We expect the 2022 Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon to be another fabulous vintage.

Julien Fayard inspecting the Caspar Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Harvesting The Hillside Block of Cabernet Franc

Just days after the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest, we picked our Caspar Estate Cabernet Franc. This time, we harvested in the early morning hours, while fog still hovered above the vines.

This photo of the Hillside Block gives you a sense of how small this half-acre plot is. Planted in 2007, it features close rows placed just below the rocky wall.

The serpentine rocks, composed of iron and magnesium, show their colors. Our Cabernet Franc is completely terrior-driven and very site-specific. This is one of our winemaker’s favorite blocks.

Caspar Estate Cabernet Franc harvest

Julien Fayard: Caspar Estate’s Talented Winemaker

With another harvest in the books, the next step in the process lies in the expert hands of our acclaimed winemaker, Julien Fayard.

Named Wine Spectrum’s Winemaker of The Year, and known for his deft work with organically-farmed vineyards, Julien has earned a reputation as one of the premiere winemakers in Napa Valley. Under the tutelage of renowned winemakers from both France and Napa, Julien learned to keep terroir front and center in his winemaking style.

This style complements our philosophy at Caspar Estate, where we believe organic farming practices combined with a commitment to sustainability are key to creating a wine that truly reflects a sense of time and place.

Taste The Cabernet Sauvignon Harvest With A Caspar Estate Allocation

Caspar Estate wines are available exclusively through allocation. You can learn how to request an allocation on our website, or come to our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF, to taste a bottle with lunch or dinner.

September 18, 2022

Napa Harvest 2022: Sauvignon Blanc Is Picked At Caspar Estate

On Tuesday morning, August 23rd at 7am, the crew gathered at the bottom of the House Block at Caspar Estate to pick the Sauvignon Blanc. Caspar Estate is located in the hills above Rutherford in Napa Valley, just off Whitehall Lane. Because of the hillside location, the day stated off with a light misting of fog in the vines and a cool temperature of 58 degrees.

Two workers pick sauvignon blanc grapes from a row of grape vines at Caspar Estate during the 2022 harvest in Napa Valley

The mist lifted gradually until we could eventually see all the way down the row. The clusters looked ready, and tasted even better! Julien Fayard, our winemaker, determined that the grapes were at the perfect brix, and the picking began.

Rows of vineyard vines at Caspar Estate in Napa Valley, covered in a blanket of grey fog

By 10 am, the sun was out on the hill and our vineyard was drenched in the warmth of the sunlight. It quickly climbed to 82 degrees.
 
 

Napa Harvest 2022 Brings The Promise Of Another Amazing Vintage

Each harvest is unique, and Napa Harvest 2022 was no exception. In June, we had Julien come down to our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF, for the 2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc party. Julian raved about the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, and especially the unique, velvety mouthfeel he creates through fermentation on the lees.

“With this next vintage, I plan to leave the fruit hanging on the vine even longer,” he said. “This will give the flavor profile even more depth.”

Strangely enough, we ended up picking on the exact same day we picked back in 2021! The main difference, however, was that temperatures were slightly warmer during the 2022 growing season. So, as it turned out, Julien got exactly what he wanted.

With Mother Nature’s help—and Julien’s experienced hand—the 2022 vintage is sure to be a stellar one!

Julien Fayard with Caspar Sauvignon Blanc

The 2022 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc will be available in Spring of 2023. All Caspar Estate wines are available by allocation only. Click here to learn more about how you can get your hands on this remarkable vintage!

A group of sauvignon blanc clusters hang from a vineyard vine

A worker empties a bin of sauvignon blanc grapes into a larger bin hauled by a tractor

Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc Harvest 2022

 

Want to see more photos of Napa Harvest 2022? Check out our harvest pictures on Instagram. Inquire about Caspar Allocation.