Paloma Vineyard Partners

Spring Mountain District

Micro-Winery Guild

Visit Napa Valley

Napa Valley Wine project

PALOMAVINEYARD

Award winning family owned and operated vineyard and winery at the top of #SpringMountainDistrict in the Napa Valley

Elevation

Our hillside terraced vineyard ranges from 2,015 to 2,235 feet. We sit just above the fog line, isolating us from the colder summer nights and protecting us from the intense summer heat.

Soil

Spring Mountain has a mixture of volcanic and sedimentary soils, with excellent drainage characteristics. Typically, the soil is slightly acidic, there is an abundance of calcium, lower levels of magnesium and phosphorus, and a mixture of kaolinite clay minerals. Paloma stretches over 4 distinct soil makeups, each with its own unique characteristics.

Sun Exposure

Our vineyard is primarily north-east facing, wrapping around the northern and eastern edges of the mountain. This exposure allows for excellent soft early morning sun while the valley is still fogged in, and limited late afternoon sun when it is at its most intense. Spring Mountain, in general, ranges from 3100 to 4800 growing degree days per year.

Temperature

In the summer months, at the top of Spring Mountain, we are typically about 5-10 degrees cooler at the peak of the day and 5-10 degrees warmer than the valley floor at night. This less extreme, more consistent environment lends to excellent growing conditions and increased growing degree days compared to the valley floor.

Precipitation

Spring Mountain is known for its above-average rainfall for the region: 25-95 inches in the winter and less than 1 inch in the summer. However, with changing climates, we have seen wide variation in these numbers over the recent decades, with multiple drought periods stretching up to 4 years.

Air Flow

While winters can bring extreme winds at the top of the mountain, on average, we get consistent, light air flow through the growing season, which helps minimize moisture in the clusters and the inherent risks, like mildew.

Grapes

Our current production grapes include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. In the past, we have grown Syrah and Mourvèdre. We are currently experimenting with some different varietals and rootstocks to learn what might be best suited to our various terroirs.

Winery

As an estate winery, our wines are made exclusively with the fruit we have grown ourselves. This is the only way we can assure the time and care required to grow the best fruit at our Paloma Vineyard Farm.