Vineyards

It is the goal of the Emerson Brown partnership to craft wines that highlight the particular site from which the fruit is grown. Finding the right vineyard source is essential for producing a complete and balanced wine. We hope that you enjoy the wine that we have made from what we consider to be a particularly special vineyard in Napa.

III Michaels Estate is located on the eastern bench of the Oakville appellation in the heart of Napa Valley. The gently sloping site provides excellent drainage, which regulates the vegetative growth of the vines allowing good sun exposure to the fruiting zone. Having cooler soils than most Napa Valley vineyards, we see slower growth and later ripening than average Cabernet Sauvignon sites. The ideal soils, combined with the sunny western exposure of the property, allows the fruit to enjoy long hang time becoming phenologically ripe without excessive sugar accumulation. The vineyard was in its thirteenth leaf in 2005. Experience led Keith and Brian to search out an older vineyard to source crop from. Empirical data shows that older vineyards produce fruit with good natural acidity. This allows the production of balanced wines without any intervention in the winery.