The next Estate vineyard in our continuing series of vineyard profiles is known as Patzimaro, named in honor of the Hurtado family, long-time cellar and vineyard workers for Duckhorn Vineyards. The 15-acre vineyard, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, is located at the base of Spring Mountain on the west side of St. Helena. Historically, it was the vineyard of the Kraft winery, established by Frank Kraft in 1884 and operated until the 1890s.

The reputation of the St. Helena area dates back to the late 1800s, when several of the region's pioneer vintners formed the St. Helena Viticulture Club. Such distinguished members as Charles Krug, H.A. Pellet, the Beringer brothers and Frank Kraft helped to create the area's premier reputation. In 1995, the region became a designated American Viticultural Area (AVA), and our Patzimaro Vineyard was one of many sites used as a reference in petitioning the BATF for approval of the appellation. St. Helena is one of 13 currently approved AVAs within the Napa Valley.

The soil in the St. Helena region is volcanic, in contrast to the sedimentary soils to the south. They are deep, gravelly loams with low to moderate water retention (which allows for good drainage) and a high cobblestone content. Because water drains so well here, we utilize special technology to help guide our irrigation program at Patzimaro. Two separate sites in the vineyard have aluminum tubes driven into the soil to a depth of 4 to 5 feet. The soil moisture is monitored weekly by lowering a probe into the tubes. We utilize this technology in conjunction with the good old-fashioned farming technique of watching the vines for signs of dehydration.

The climatic conditions of St. Helena are also distinct. As the Napa Valley floor warms throughout the day, the hot air rises, creating low pressure that draws in cooler marine air from San Pablo Bay during the early afternoon and into the evening. Southern Napa Valley is most affected by this unique weather system, which helps the grapes to retain their natural acidity, but the St. Helena appellation also benefits from its presence. The Patzimaro Vineyard also enjoys a secondary marine influence, as the same conditions that draw cool air from the south also pull in cooling winds from the Sonoma coast through York Creek Canyon to the west.As a result, Patzimaro has the high daytime temperatures required to fully ripen the grapes, and the cool evening breezes and fog necessary for the fruit to retain the natural acidity needed to make balanced, elegantly structured wines.

It is the unique soil composition and ideal temperature variation that make the Patzimaro Vineyard so special. As our experience with this vineyard has grown, we have come to love the exceptional characteristics it produces. The distinguishing flavor components are of black fruits, in contrast to the red fruits that tend to characterize wines from other Napa Valley regions. There are also distinct earthy, herbal qualities in the finished wines. Relative to our other Estate vineyards, Patzimaro wines need more time to developin the bottle, indicating excellent potential to reward those who are patient enough to cellar them. Because the wines from Patzimaro have been historically impressive, with the 1998 vintage we decided to capture this unique expression of terroir as a separate Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon bottling for our customers to experience and enjoy.

Patzimaro Vineyard was named in honor of the Hurtado Family, an essential part of Duckhorn Vineyards since 1987. Over the years we have employed more than 25 members of the Hurtado family, who come from a small town in the Mexican state of Michoac½n called Patzimaro de Aviöa. Our relationship with the family began with two brothers, Agripino (Pino) and Juan Hurtado, and later incorporated Alicia, Pino's wife, and Fermin, another brother. The family's loyalty, dedication, and hard work have helped Duckhorn Vineyards grow and thrive. Today, Pino Hurtado is our cellarmaster and several more brothers, cousins, wives, and even members of the second generation have come to work for the winery. Some family members come only during the harvest, and some have moved on to other ventures, but we owe them all a debt of gratitude for their invaluable contribution to the success of Duckhorn Vineyards.