Pine Ridge Vineyards
Whorl's Focus
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
Auction 26 | Lot No. 66
Vintage: 2019
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Whorl's Focus
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley
10 cases produced
Highlights
- Sourced solely from Circle Hill, one of our estate vineyards in the heart of the Stags Leap District nested appellation
- Your one-of-a-kind bottling is a barrel selection of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes
- Winemaker Josh Widaman’s masterful creation offers a rich, opulent rendition of Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sustainably produced, 100% estate grown and bottled with 24 months of barrel aging
Description
The Circle Hill Vineyard represents seven of our 47 estate-farmed acres in the Stags Leap District nested appellation. This is a jewel in the crown of our properties, and consistently provides us with some of the most well-rounded and deeply concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon wines that we produce each and every vintage. For this one-of-a-kind bottling, we hunted through the barrels in our extensive cave holdings to find the tête de cuvée. We are proud to offer a peek behind the curtain at this exquisite lot that is typically used as a founding piece of our Fortis and Circle Hill vineyard bottlings. We encourage you to relish in the enjoyment of this wine that is the keystone of some of the best bottlings that we produce each year.
Wine Facts
- Wine is unfiltered
- Single vineyard wine
- Sustainably produced
- Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled
- Wine is produced in a Napa Green winery
Josh Widaman
Winemaker, Pine Ridge Vineyards
Josh’s path to winemaking started after working the 1999 vintage at Stags' Leap Winery. During his first harvest spreading stems in the vineyards by moonlight, he tasted a 1997 Pahlmeyer Merlot that left him inspired to create wines that leave a similar lasting impression on those lucky enough to experience them. The combination of hands-on vineyard work and the incredible fruits of a winemaker’s labor sealed his desire to enter the wine world. He transferred to UC Davis where he graduated in 2002 with a BS in Viticulture and Enology, and a minor in Applied Biological Systems Technology. In 2019, he received his MBA from Sonoma State University to better support a well-rounded understanding of the wine business.
Josh spent the first six years of his career working his way up to Assistant Winemaker at Chimney Rock Winery before transitioning to Assistant Winemaker and eventually Head Winemaker at Pahlmeyer. Additional past experience includes harvest internships with Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma and Viña Tarapacá in Chile. In addition, his time spent overseas in the Douro, Burgundy, Greece and Germany have increased the breadth of his winemaking horizons.
“My path to winemaking started with a wine that left a lasting impression, that I use as inspiration in every wine I create,” Josh emphasizes. “Coming back to the Stags Leap District where it all began for me, and to the iconic steep-walled valley at Pine Ridge Vineyards, gives me a newfound sense of determination to produce some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines that Napa Valley and the world have to offer.”
Country born: United States
Education: Sonoma State University
Master of Business Administration
University of California, Davis
BS in Viticulture & Enology, Minor in Applied Biological Systems Technology
Foreign Study: Burgundy, The Douro, Germany, Chile and Greece
Mentors: Elizabeth Vianna, Winemaker and General Manager at Chimney Rock Winery and Erin Green, Consulting Winemaker at Martinelli Vineyards & Winery
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Honors / Awards:
Wine Spectator #1 Wine of the Year
90+ ratings on over 90% of all wines made in career
Winemaking Philosophy:
“We’re constantly experimenting in the vineyard, the cellar and the tasting lab...” Being on the cutting-edge can sometimes mean going back to Old World traditions, “but we never rest on assumptions,” he says. “The decisions we make are based on fractions of percents of variances in each blend - minute changes that can make a huge difference in the wine’s profile. Meticulous attention to these, and making sure we taste every possible iteration is what sets us apart.”
“Winemaking is a huge, long, intricate equation - years in the making,” says Josh, sharing a glimpse into the intricate workings of this winemaker’s brain. “Any single decision can take things in an entirely different direction,” he says. “The palate is the ultimate driver. That’s the artistry of winemaking.”
Winery Distribution
Pine Ridge Vineyards is distributed in the following markets. Please contact the winery directly for the most up-to-date distribution information and to explore commercial opportunities.
Pine Ridge Vineyards Contact: Josh Widaman
Domestic:
- Alabama ( International Wines )
- Alaska ( Specialty Imports )
- Arizona ( RNDC )
- Arkansas ( Southern Glazers )
- California ( RNDC )
- Colorado ( Winebow )
- Florida ( RNDC )
- Georgia ( RNDC )
- Hawaii ( RNDC )
- Idaho ( Greg Stein Beverage )
- Idaho ( Moon River )
- Idaho ( Golden Eagle )
- Illinois ( Winebow )
- Iowa ( Johnson Bros )
- Kentucky ( RNDC )
- Louisiana ( RNDC )
- Maine ( Nappi )
- Maine ( Pine State )
- Maryland ( Winebow )
- Massachusetts ( Ruby )
- Minnesota ( Johnson Bros )
- Mississippi ( International Wines )
- Missouri ( Major Brands )
- Montana ( Bronkon )
- Montana ( Fun Beverage )
- Nevada ( Southern Glazers )
- Nevada ( Breakthru )
- New Jersey ( Winebow )
- New Mexico ( Southern Glazers )
- New York ( Winebow )
- North Carolina ( Winebow )
- Oregon ( RNDC )
- Pennsylvania ( The Wine Merchant )
- South Carolina ( RNDC )
- South Dakota ( Johnson Bros )
- Texas ( RNDC )
- Wisconsin ( Johnson Bros )
International:
- Australia ( Boccaccio Cellars )
- Bermuda ( Burrows Lightbourn )
- Canada - Alberta ( Andrew Peller Imports )
- Canada - British Columbia ( Andrew Peller Imports )
- Canada - Manitoba ( Andrew Peller Imports )
- Canada - New Brunswick ( Innovative Beverage )
- Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador ( Innovative Beverage )
- Canada - Nova Scotia ( Innovative Beverage )
- Canada - Ontario ( Andrew Peller Imports )
- Canada - Prince Edward Island ( Innovative Beverage )
- Canada - Quebec ( Societe Roucet )
- Canada - Saskatchewan ( Andrew Peller Imports )
- Caribbean ( Fully represented - importer varies by country )
- China ( California Wine & Co. )
- Denmark ( Vinens Verden )
- Finland ( Hedon )
- France ( South World Wines SAS )
- Germany ( Weinhandel Hans Peter Joeckel )
- Hong Kong ( Via Pacifica )
- Indonesia ( Jaddi Internasional )
- Japan ( Mottox )
- Luxembourg ( AmCellars )
- Mexico ( ECM de Vinos )
- Norway ( Fondberg )
- Poland ( Mielzynski SP.Z.O.O. )
- Puerto Rico ( Plaza Provision Company )
- Singapore ( Pinnacles Wine & Spirits )
- South Korea ( W.S. Trading Co. )
- Sweden ( Johan Lidby )
- Switzerland ( Zweifel Weine )
- Taiwan ( Formosa )
- Thailand ( Scheidegger Trading )
- United Kingdom ( Liberty )
2024 © Napa Valley Vintners All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement