Winemaker Sam Baxter, has always had a keen focus on the grapes in the vineyard to achieve ideal ripeness and flavor development, leading to a winemaking style marked by minimal intervention. The yield of this approach is evident in our Terra Valentine wines that reflect a sense of place while showing the intensity of mountain grown fruit and balanced elegance.
Clusters are pre-sorted prior to running through the de-stemmer. From there whole berries fall onto another sorter and go through a second sorting removing any remaining bits of stem. Grapes are then cold-soaked, fermented, and typically left on the skins for an average of three weeks. Following fermentation, the juice is drained off, settled, and loaded into French oak barrels (30-50% new) where malolactic fermentation occurs. Barrels are stored in our stone barrel cellar carved into the hillside, making natural use of the mountain’s cooler temperatures and high humidity.
‘From fermentation to bottling, we’re able to control many variables, like temperature and overall treatment of the wine. One of the key things I learned from my dad over the years was how to keep the elements in balance with one another: tannins, ripeness, alcohol, acidity, it all needs to work together. When it does, it’s seamless and none of those components stick out. You achieve true balance. Spring Mountain is naturally suited to thrive in this style, more so than other areas. We’re lucky to be here.’ - Winemaker Sam Baxter
