Ever since we signed our first vineyard lease for Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper in 2008, Carte Blanche has made a point of locking in “A+” vineyard sources. We want to know these terroirs intimately, and watch how they develop, not just for years—but over decades of harvests.
Just six miles from the Pacific, and treasured by producers like Aubert and Maxem, UV Vineyard was planted by the late, great Ulises Valdez in 2001. This coveted site, owned and farmed by the Valdez family, is home to the prized clone of “Old Wente” Chardonnay. Our Chardonnay is comprised of 100% Old Wente clone, providing everything we love about Chardonnay—depth, weight, finesse, and grip—all fittingly woven together seamlessly. The vineyard contains a unique mix of sand and clay known as the “Sebastopol Clays,” which retain water beautifully in dry years.
Sun Chase vineyard sits high atop the Petaluma Gap, taking in much of what the Pacific Ocean and sun have to offer. High above the fog line, it’s cooled by afternoon breezes that keep ripening slow and even. Goulding cobbly clay loam soils provide the perfect home for four clones of Pinot Noir (777, 667, 114, and 828), and our wine is made from multiple blocks and generally vinified with around a third whole clusters.
At the southern tip of Oakville AVA, south of Vine Hill Ranch and north of Dominus Estate, lies Andy Beckstoffer’s 36-acre Missouri Hopper Vineyard. In 1996, Beckstoffer acquired this vineyard from the Kelham family, who had owned it since 1960. Today the vines are approaching 30 years of age.
The soil here is stony Bale clay loam, and our blocks are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon clone 337 and the legendary Clone 4, so treasured by growers up the road in Rutherford for many decades for its quality. Missouri Hopper is a trusted source for many elite Napa Valley wineries. Carte Blanche has purchased fruit here since 2008.
Just a ridgeline away from Pritchard Hill, looking down on Lake Hennessey, the Sage Ridge Vineyard shares many of the same high-altitude and soil characteristics with its more famous neighbors. The soils here are a powdery metamorphic mix, and the altitude of the site means cool nights that slow down ripening. Sage Ridge is a source of stellar Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot for The Mark.
