The Craft

We source fruit from six of the finest vineyards in the Livermore Valley. Each of these sites is farmed impeccably, and each provides special fruit with balance and complexity. The Ghielmetti Vineyard, in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, provides Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Sachau Vineyard, in the middle of the appellation, grows spectacular Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. From Lencioni Vineyard and Smith Ranch on the western end of the appellation, Casa de Viñas, and our estate Home Ranch Vineyard in the center, multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon are harvested.
     We regard Lineage as an exotic, beautiful creature. Each year this creature takes on a different shape, and each variety plays a crucial role in its apotheosis. Cabernet Sauvignon provides the skeleton, adding the structure upon which the flesh of Merlot, the nervous system (and sex appeal) of Cabernet Franc, and the exotic coloring of Petit Verdot sit. We approach each vintage as its own singular event. While we start with a vision for the wine based upon preliminary tasting of barrels throughout elévage, it is only through many months of evaluation and scores of mock blends that we arrive at what we believe to be the finest possible version of Lineage for that year. After the selected barrels of each variety are chosen (we declassify more than 90% of these lots) and the blend is made, Lineage is rebarreled and aged in approximately 50% new French oak for an additional 6-8 months.
     We believe the Livermore Valley to be one of the finest growing areas in the world for the varieties that make Lineage.
     We are committed to make one wine from this appellation that can be compared to the finest wines in the world.