Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
For the past 40 years, Girard has been singularly dedicated to ensuring balance in their wines. This is achieved by meticulously focusing on making choices that respect the grapes and Napa Valley heritage at each step of the winemaking process. They work closely with long-time growers in both mountain and valley vineyards to ensure vines are nurtured to develop balanced sugar and acidity in the grapes when it comes time to harvest. In their state-of-the-art winery, they employ innovative barrel technology to bring out the ripe fruit characteristics during the fermentation and aging process. The dedication to quality throughout the winemaking process is evident in the consistently award-winning wines that offer richness, complexity and balance in each sip.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.