Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
The historic Hewitt Vineyard resides on the famed Rutherford Bench, a narrow ribbon of gravel-rich alluvial soils on the western side of the Napa Valley that has - since the late 1800s - produced California's best Cabernet Sauvignon.
William Hewitt purchased this property in 1962 and received guidance in planting the vineyard from legendary Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) winemaker André Tchelistcheff. BV purchased Cabernet Sauvignon from Hewitt Vineyard and included it in its top wines for many years. When Hewitt Vineyard was offered for sale in 2000, Chalone Wine Group President Tom Selfridge, who began his career at Beaulieu and knew first-hand the vineyard's extraordinary quality, jumped at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to add this treasure to the company's portfolio.
Today, Hewitt Vineyard produces only estate Cabernet Sauvignon from its extraordinary property. Through this exclusive focus, Hewitt is a leader in Rutherford's winemaking renaissance.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.