The Tasting Panel magazine

January 2011

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APPELLATIONS Into the Wild O EXPLORING THE EXTREME VINEYARD SITES OF THE SPRING MOUNTAIN DISTRICT Winemaker Chris Millard and Enologist Daron Ford of Newton Vineyards. story and photos by Christopher Sawyer n a brisk foggy morning in the midst of harvest, 35 adventurous wine retailers and sommeliers sat snug on metal benches in the back of Pinzgauer Swiss military vehicles, roaring up the steep incline of rugged hills at Spring Mountain Vineyard. As talented ambassadors of the wine industry, the mission of the voyage was simple: seek, absorb and share your first-hand accounts of the distinctive characteristics that make the often unexplored Spring Mountain District so different from all the other appellations in the greater Napa Valley. Game on! Established as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1993, the Spring Mountain appellation is located in the mountainous area of the Mayacamas Range, west of St. Helena, at elevations ranging from 400 to 2,100 feet, with mainly eastern exposure. While special blocks of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Riesling flourish in the district, the primary focus is on making bold wines from 104 / the tasting panel / january–february 201 1

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