Peju Winery Provence
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Winemaker Notes
When Tony and Herta “H.B.” Peju relocated to Rutherford Napa Valley from Los Angeles in 1983, they brought with them a vision of building a winery, an unwavering work ethic, and two young daughters who soaked in their parents’ entrepreneurial spirit and love for Napa’s beautiful farmland. They established Peju Winery and dedicated themselves to welcoming guests and crafting exceptional wines from Napa Valley. Peju remains family-owned with Tony and HB’s two daughters Lisa and Ariana guiding the business today. Lisa and Ariana are bringing fresh ideas while maintaining the meticulous focus on quality that began nearly 40 years ago.
The family owns and sustainably farms six estate vineyards in Napa Valley ranging from Carneros, Napa’s coolest growing region, all the way north to Calistoga. Rare in today’s wine industry, the family’s careful oversight of its estate vineyards assures quality from grape to glass. Peju’s 30-acre Rutherford Estate was certified organic in 2007 by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) and in 2019 all six of their vineyard properties were certified under the Fish Friendly Farming program. With its landmark tower, warm hospitality, and award-winning wines Peju is a celebrated place to visit in Napa Valley.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.