Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
$80 (Wine Club Reorder: $70)
Lesley Warner & Alan Peirson have been partners in business and life for over 36 years. Both native Californians, growing up in the Bay Area, they share interests in art, science, food, music, horticulture, design, and architecture. Their life together began in 1984, living and working in Knights Valley, designing, building, and managing for 20 years what is now Peter Michael Winery. They left Peter Michael in 2002 to start a winery of their own and spent the next 19 years as owners of Peirson Meyer / L’Angevin LLC, which they then left in June 2020 to focus on Vinehouse.
Hidden away on Howell Mountain, in 2012 Alan and Lesley discovered a gutted, abandoned mid-century bungalow resting on several acres. They spent two years bringing it back to life, expanding and restoring its rustic contemporary character. Before any work on the house began, the land was cleared of dead trees, with deep ripping and prepping of the Volcanic soils, once home to a large Walnut Orchard.
The vineyard, edging their home at about 1725 feet, was planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in 2013 then St Mccaire (a “lost” Bordeaux varietal) in 2014. Meticulously tended, Vinehouse fruit is sustainably farmed, then hand picked, produced and bottled on Howell Mountain, all overseen with great attention to timing and detail by Alan.
The Vinehouse 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% St. Macaire. The result of this historic marriage: a big luscious sexy wine with long legs of intensity on the palate, incredible depth of color, and crushed blackberries, blueberries, and black currants on the nose. Only 150 cases were produced.
Amy Ryan – December 2021
Bacchus & Venus Wines 