Winemaker Notes
In 1976, industry pioneer Bruce Markham began his journey towards locating the best vineyard sites in Napa Valley, and subsequently founded Markham Vineyards the following year, with the now local Napa legend, Bryan Del Bondio. In 1980, Markham crafted its first vintage of Napa Valley Merlot—becoming only the fourth winery in Napa Valley to make varietal Merlot—and a decade later, Markham’s flagship bottling was named “Merlot of the Year” by Wine Spectator. Today, Markham continues to be recognized for making benchmark Napa Valley Merlots, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Our wines are crafted by Winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls, who has been with Markham for over two decades. Markham is a proud custodian of 260 acres of pristine, certified sustainable vineyards and land in Napa Valley and our wines are representative of those unique terroirs from Yountville, Oak Knoll and Calistoga. Markham’s wines have earned much acclaim for their vineyard-inspired complexity and character.
Markham practices sustainability without sacrificing quality. For Markham, sustainability starts in the field and focuses on environmentally beneficial land management practices. Some of Markham’s sustainability practices include:
• Protecting the Napa River Watershed
• Water conservation in the vineyards and the winery
• Reduce carbon footprint
• Partnering with local suppliers for wine materials
• Partner with local recycling center to reduce landfill impact
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.