Luck and timing led Bill and Joan Smith into the wine business: enthusiasm, perseverance, and good advice from a few talented friends facilitated their success as world-class producers. A wrong turn while trying to visit Chappellet Vineyard led Bill Smith to discover and purchase the historic ghost winery, La Jota Vineyard Co., including 40 acres on top of Howell Mountain in the Napa Valley. Two years later, in 1976, Bill and his new wife, Joan, spent their honeymoon planting the first 2 acres of vines, which would grow to 28 acres by 1978. After a few classes in home winemaking at UC Davis, a lot of experimenting, and some priceless mentoring from friend and Howell Mountain neighbor Randy Dunn, the Smith’s produced La Jota Vineyard’s first Cabernet Sauvignon vintage in 1982. With Bill making the wine and Joan responsible for sales and marketing, the couple garnered attention and accolades—including being listed as #2 on Robert Parker’s roster of "heroes" in the December 1994 issue of The Wine Advocate.
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The color of this wine is like looking at a bowl of liquid black cherries. The nose is earthy and toasty and mushroom-like, an archetypal Pinot. The mid palate structure is silky with bright cherry fruit and background notes of bramble bush. The finish is smoky and sexy - a truly special Pinot Noir.
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You will immediately notice the intense color in the glass. The nose is, may we say, slightly 'Burgundian' with hints of forest floor and barnyard. This is a juicy, rich mouth-filling Pinot Noir with amazing fruit. The texture is soft and sensuous and will leave you wanting more.
Wood-roasted or...
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In 2008, Maritime stands out from our other Pinots because of its density and concentration. The fruit is dark and brooding - plums, blueberries and dark cherry. But, don't be fooled by all of this serious fruit. You will still get the elegance, balance and acidity that you have come to expect from...
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The color of this wine is like looking at a bowl of liquid black cherries. The nose is earthy and toasty and mushroomy, an archetypal Pinot. The mid palate structure is silky with bright
cherry fruit and background notes of bramble bush. The finish is smoky and sexy - a truly special Pinot...
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Maritime is our proprietary name for the very best Pinot Noir from the vintage. The 2007 Maritime Pinot
Noir is predominantly from two vineyards located just miles from the Pacific Ocean. This vintage of
Maritime also includes small lots of Marimar Estate Vineyard and Umino Vineyard for some...
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You will immediately notice the intense color in the glass. The nose is, may we say, slightly
‘Burgundian' with hints of forest floor and barnyard. This is a juicy, rich mouth-filling Pinot Noir with amazing fruit. The texture is soft and sensuous and will leave you wanting more!
Wood-roasted...
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Both the color and the nose scream plums! Dark intense fruit and jam-packed plum aromas let
you know that you're onto something special. On the palate, there is great density to the fruit.
The deep blackberry fruit, the bright acidity and the firm tannins spread out all over your mouth.
Food...
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Long chilly nights during the growing season give the fruit in this wine a solid core of richness and depth of flavor. The Hellenthal Pinot Noir exhibits a complex range of ripe cherry, plum and wild berry flavors that are well defined. With a
deep burgundy color and a lasting impression of fruit...
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These closely spaced vines yielded barely more than a ton per acre in 2003, bringing tremendous intensity to the finished wine. A blend of 7 different clones, it is a beautiful amalgam of flavors-including gobs of brambly, juicy
blackberries, plum and cherry, with notes of mocha and spice....
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