FISHER VINEYARDS WINE OFFER

History

Fisher Vineyards was founded in 1973, when Fred and Juelle purchased 100 acres in the Mayacamas Mountains on the western slope of Spring Mountain. There, they built a winery tucked in among the vines and Douglas Firs. The winery itself is a product of the estate, having been built from the timber that was cut and milled on-site and crafted into an award-winning facility by their good friend and architect, William Turnbull.

In 1976, the family added another 57 acres on the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley, running from the Napa River to the Eastern Vaca Range, adjacent to the famed Eisele Vineyard.

Today, Fisher Vineyards stands alone as the longest established, family-run winery to produce wines from estate vineyards in both Napa and Sonoma. Blessed by significant contributions over five decades from several of California’s greatest wine talents (including Paul Hobbs, Mia Klein, David Abreu, Aaron Pott and Adam Goodrich), Fisher Vineyards now releases thirteen small-production bottlings each year; nine annual releases under the Fisher Vineyards label are estate grown, four others are bottled under the UNITY brand and include fruit from other growers.

Mission

To grow and produce wines of consistent, world-class quality that express their unique mountain or valley heritage in the truest sense of terroir; the resulting wines should pay tribute to the land we are fortunate to care for, as well as each member of our team, which together yields classic balance and style that transcends time.

"We are small in size but great in scope with both mountain and valley estate vineyards. Our wines reflect the great care we have given these vineyards; those who drink the wines and those who write about the wines sing their praise, and we are grateful." - Fred J. Fisher, Proprietor

Critical Acclaim

The average score of more than 400 reviews of Fisher wines, over five decades, published between the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Vinous Media, is over 92 Points. More significant for some: by Robert Parker’s assessment, the winery produced the first, highest rated, near-perfect Cabernet Sauvignon in Sonoma County history (99 Points in 1997). But perhaps most intriguing is Antonio Galloni’s latest note that asserts "…there is something magical about the Fisher Vineyards mountain estate...producing wines that are contemporary in style, with leaning towards the classic."

THE WINES

2014 Mountain Estate Vineyard, Chardonnay, Spring Mountain Estate
The vines on the Mountain Estate grow on a steep, rocky, Northeast-facing slope at an average elevation of 1,300 feet, receiving early morning sun and minimal exposure to hot afternoon temperatures. Planted in 1999, this vineyard has proven ideal for the gradual ripening and maximum maturation of Chardonnay grapes.

Tasting Notes: Robert Parker, 94 points: The 2014 Chardonnay Mountain Estate from an Old Wente clone and aged in 50% new French oak, is full-bodied with beautiful notes of tangerine oil, orange marmalade, lemon custard, brioche, white peach and pineapple. There is some underlying wet gravel, giving it a stunning minerality. This is a beauty to drink over the next 5-7 years.

2014 Whitney's Vineyard, Chardonnay, Spring Mountain Estate
Planted in 1973, the Whitney's Vineyard (so named after Fred and Juelle Fisher's first daughter) is located on a gravelly hillside with a gently sloping southwestern exposure. The Vineyard is planted to Old Wente clone Chardonnay and produces less than one ton per acre. Today, these vines produce small berries that express their mountain heritage with mineral undertones and uniquely concentrated fruit flavors.

Tasting Notes: Robert Parker 94 points: Impressive is the 2014 Chardonnay Whitney’s Vineyard which has plenty of honeysuckle, unbuttered popcorn, baked apple skins, white peach and poached pears. It is medium to full-bodied, round and juicy with good acidity and a lush, heady finish. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

2013 Mountain Estate Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain Estate
Following more than 30 years adapting farming practices to the mountain climate and terrain around the winery, they are pleased to produce this wine from several Bordeaux varietal vineyard blocks yielding fruit of mature character and balance. The heart of this wine is Cabernet Sauvignon grown on steep, west facing terraces that rise above the early renowned Wedding Vineyard, reaching a towering elevation of 1,400 feet. Other contiguous vineyard blocks incorporate a great diversity of soils and exposures, providing additional complexity and unmistakable mountain terroir.

Tasting Notes: Robert Parker 92+ Points: The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain Estate Vineyard is tightly knit, but rich, impressive and well-endowed with plenty of black fruits, cedar wood, and hints of garrigue and earth. It is full-bodied and will probably benefit from several years of bottle age, and can be consumed over the following 15-20 years.

2013 Coach Insignia, Estate Vineyards, Calistoga
The Coach Insignia Cabernet represents the pinnacle of Fisher’s winemaking craft, comprised of the finest selected lots of Bordeaux varietals from their Napa Valley Estate. Located in the heart of Calistoga, these Estate vineyards are planted in well-drained alluvial, sedimentary soils alongside Simmons Canyon Creek, which flows west from the Calistoga Palisades to the Napa River.

Tasting Notes: Antonio Galloni 94 Points: The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is deep, pliant and expressive, with striking mid-palate pliancy and terrific balance. Sweet cherry, plum, chocolate, savory herbs, tobacco and leather meld together effortlessly. Drink this succulent, forward Cabernet Sauvignon over the next decade or so. The 2013 Coach Insignia has turned out beautifully. It's a class act.

2013 Wedding Vineyard, Estate, Spring Mountain Estate
First planted to Martha's Vineyard clone Cabernet in 1973, the Wedding Vineyard covers eleven gently sloping acres (up to 15 degrees, oriented south-west) on our Mountain Estate at an elevation of 1,200 feet. Approximately nine acres were replanted in 2002 under the careful guidance of David Abreu: seven blocks of Cabernet (clone 337 and Martha's Vineyard clone), one block of Petit Verdot (clone 400) and one block of Cabernet Franc (clone 327).

Tasting notes: Robert Parker 93+: Similar in style, but even denser purple, with slightly more structure and density, is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Wedding Vineyard. This is a real winner but needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age. It’s impressively endowed, exhibiting loads of black fruits, spice and earth. It should drink well for 20-25 years.

2013 Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Palisades Estate, Napa Valley
Nestled at the foot of the Palisades in Northern Napa Valley, the Lamb Vineyard has been a source of great pride for our family over the past quarter of a century. Named for Juelle's family, the vineyard was planted to Cabernet in 1982 and consistently yields small quantities of fruit that produce wine with a rare combination of rich, concentrated flavors, velvet texture and elegance.

Tasting notes: Robert Parker 94 Points: An absolutely brilliant wine is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamb Vineyard, which comes from their five-acre parcel in northeast Napa Valley. Notes of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit interwoven with chocolate, wet stones and smoky barbecue notes are followed by an opulent, full-bodied, gorgeously proportioned and pure wine, with loads of character and richness. It should drink well for up to 20 or more years.

THE OFFER

2014 Mountain Estate Vineyard, Chardonnay $70

2014 Whitney’s Vineyard, Chardonnay $75

2013 Mountain Estate Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon $80

2013 Coach Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon $100

2013 Wedding Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon $150

2013 Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $150

Jeff McCarthy, Wine Director
[email protected]
707.569.2906