Stricker: The Last Block

The time has come when we can reveal a little secret… not everything is coming out of the ground at Stricker Mount Veeder. We decided to preserve a few rows of hillside Cabernet Sauvignon vines while the rest of the property is being replanted. Finding the right combination of clone, rootstock and site is no easy feat, and we recognized that much of the Stricker recipe had already been tested to great success.  Continue »

Stricker: Adding Bats to the Lineup

Pest control is one of the single largest challenges of organic farming. Tipping the scales in the farmer’s balance remains a daunting task, one that requires constant vigilance and dedication, as many of the most destructive diseases that can afflict a vineyard arrive by tiny, flapping wings. Various bugs with sci-fi names (and appearances) like the “blue-green sharpshooter” and “alfalfa hopper” can wreak all manner of havoc on otherwise healthy vines.  Continue »

Stricker: Farming the Hills

There’s an ancient axiom that “Bacchus loves the hills”. It certainly applies to fine winegrowing in Mediterranean climates like ours in Napa Valley, most notably Italy, southern France and Spain. Stubbornly determined vines gnarl and twist deeper with each passing vintage in their quest for water and nutrients, often surviving where little else can be cultivated. It is a well-tested belief that struggle builds character, and the results from vineyards at elevation are often extraordinary.  Continue »

Stricker: Digging the Soil Pits

A foundational early step in the Stricker Vineyard replant involves really understanding our hillside soils. To do it right, we had to break out hard hats and put the heavy equipment to work. The “soil pits” we recently dug into the slopes of Mount Veeder reveal the geological complexity of what’s underneath the surface, and ultimately what our mature vines will burrow through in their ceaseless quest for water and nutrients.  Continue »

Stricker: The Rebirth of a Mountain Vineyard

Named for the volcanic apex of Napa Valley’s southwestern flank, vines have been growing on the slopes of Mount Veeder since at least the 1860’s. Fearless vintners have carved terraces into the Mayacamas hillsides and navigated switchback trails that are still prone to washouts (as we experienced firsthand in January). It has always been proudly inaccessible, a sort of isolated mountain wilderness with its own set of rules. In 1986, when renowned architect Larry Stricker looked at 40 untamed acres stretching to 1,500 feet in elevation and envisioned the vineyard potential within, he understood he was signing up for the long haul.  Continue »