Chardonnay "Unfiltered", Newton Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA, 2017

The single square mile of hillside pioneered by Peter Newton in 1977 is an impressive site, with expansive vistas of Napa Valley and beyond. It was the conclusion of his irreverent quest to create wines that would capture the multifaceted character of Napa: embracing the radiant California sun whilst featuring the structure offered by the valley's cool, foggy nights.

He understood Spring Mountain was the place he was looking for to create this rare, fresh expression of Napa.

The terraced mountain estate has less than one-fifth of its total 490 acres planted to vines at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,600 feet above sea level. The non-farmed acreage remains in its native forested state providing natural habitat for indigenous wildlife.

Each of the distinctive vineyard blocks is planted to a specific Bordeaux variety with an emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winery was designed and built to blend into the mountain and includes elements of the founders’ native lands interwoven with the California environment — roses, a pagoda, a Japanese red gate, lanterns, a London phone booth and French gardens.