Pine Mountain Vineyards
Pine Mountain Vineyards is dedicated to producing the exceptional wine grapes expected by artisan winemakers and premium wineries. The Vineyard is located northeast of Cloverdale, on the upper western flank of Pine Mountain at an elevation of 2,200 to 2,800 feet. Our high elevation farming practices deliver harvests of fruit intense in color and flavor.
The Vineyard
Pine Mountain Vineyards is located within 660 rugged acres on the western flank of Pine Mountain, equidistant between the summit of Pine Mountain and Cloverdale Peak, at the center of the newly established Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak AVA.
The defining characteristic of Pine Mountain Vineyards is its elevation, with all of its 36 acres of vine-planted blocks spread out between 2,200 to 2,800 feet, the large majority facing south or southwest. The mountainous terrain is typically steep; the soil is shallow to moderately deep, very well drained, and contains large components of sand and gravel. Prominent soil types are Cole Loam and the Hopland-Witherell-Squawrock Complex. The micro-climate of the vineyard exhibits all the characteristics associated with high-elevation viticulture. These include cooler daytime and warmer nighttime temperatures than in the valley, longer sunlight hours, and cooling oceanic breezes. An analysis of growing season degree-days at Pine Mountain Vineyards shows that it is very similar to high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon sites in southern Napa Valley. With its unique combination of features, the Pine Mountain Vineyards terroir favors the production of fruit that is intense in flavor and color, with clusters that are typically only one-third to one-half the size of valley-grown grapes.
The Wine
Pine Mountain Vineyard’s flagship wine, Ampère, draws inspiration from owner Hien Nguyen’s childhood years at the Collège-lycée Ampère in Lyon, France. Besides the benefit of a good education, Hien had the good fortune to be introduced to great food accompanied by wine and taught to appreciate what ingenuity and determination can accomplish. For Hien, wine has always been associated with memorable meals, stimulating conversations with teachers and friends, and with all the important events celebrated with family. Pine Mountain has afforded him the opportunity to share his appreciation of the pleasure wine has brought to his life and honor his lifelong adoption of the tradition of sharing good food and good wine. Our signature wine pays tribute to the origins of his story at Lycee Ampère.
"Pine Mountain Vineyards was one of the great revelations for harvest 2009. Every year I take fruit from a few new vineyards to try and find something new and exciting for my various programs. After taking a ride to the edge of Alexander Valley, Pine Mountain looked like a vineyard with great potential. It was only after harvesting the fruit and midway through fermentation that we realized just how special this site is. Incredibly dark and super perfumey, the 2009 already exhibits great balance and structure to balance its red and black fruit core. The 2009 looks to be one of the stars of the vintage and I have no doubt we will do even better in the coming years." - Thomas Rivers Brown, Winemaker
