Trefethen Estate Chardonnay

Surrounding our historic winery, in the heart of the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, is our Main Ranch. Its 400 acres of vines are planted in 49 distinct blocks, a mosaic that echoes the complexity of our soils. Sitting on the largest alluvial fan in Napa Valley, where Dry
Creek spills onto the valley floor spreading gravel eroded from the Mayacamas over clay and loam left by an ancient ocean, our soils change dramatically across the estate. We have identified over twenty different soil types across the Main Ranch, allowing us to grow 9 different varieties, all planted in their preferred soil.

Our Bordeaux varieties cluster on deposits of alluvial gravel, where water drains deep into the soil, stressing the vines just enough to encourage the ripening of the fruit and the development of flavour. Chardonnay, meanwhile, thrives in the richer loam with a higher capacity for water retention. Our 49 vineyard blocks are broken down further into 120 separate irrigation subblocks, which allow us to tailor the delivery of water to the differing needs of each variety and the unique water holding capacities of the soils in which they are planted.