An intricate web of life hums around us, mostly unseen and unheard.
Much of what we can’t see or otherwise sense in a vineyard is responsible for the individuality of that vineyard: its unique environment and ecosystem.
Our job at Burgess is to preserve this idiosyncrasy of place—not to get in the way of each terroir’s signature expression in the glass.
We do that by farming very carefully, strategically, taking practices from organic, biodynamic, and regenerative farming—but never in a dogmatic, inflexible way.
Calling this minimalist farming doesn’t quite capture it. We time our actions in the vineyard so that we must intervene as little as possible in the pursuit of perfectly ripe grapes.
This philosophy of minimal intervention continues in the cellar. We use only native yeast in our fermentations and make winemaking and cooperage decisions with the goal of simply revealing the place the wine comes from.
This ideology fits neatly with our overall objective as a family winery: to make classical, long-lived wines that honor the legacies of the Rossini, Poncetta, Stewart, and Burgess families—the stewards of this land, and this winery, who preceded us.
St. Andrews Vineyard
LOCATION:
Napa Valley
AVA:
Oak Knoll District
SOIL:
Volcanic Loam
SLOPE:
1.5 degrees
St. Andrews Vineyard
Oak Knoll District
Our St. Andrews Vineyard in Oak Knoll is home to these vines imported from Friuli and planted in the 1990s. This wine is crafted with extended skin contact in concrete egg, stainless steel, and foudre, and has extreme concentration with bright floral characteristics. It’s named for the Cygnus constellation, and comes from Greek mythology where Zeus converted himself to a swan so he could seduce a woman.
Quartz Creek Vineyard
LOCATION:
Western Oak Knoll
AVA:
Oak Knoll District
SOIL:
Alluvial Fan with uplifted Marine Sediments
SLOPE:
2.5 degrees
Quartz Creek Vineyard
Oak Knoll District AVA
Originally purchased in 1979 by Tom Burgess, this was a 50-acre Chardonnay vineyard known as Triere, a term for “select,” or “choice.” Now called Quartz Creek, this is one of the most geologically diverse vineyards we own. The soils are part of the alluvial fan that swept down from the Mayacamas, along with uplifted marine sediments, and a high proportion of quartz. It’s the perfect terroir for this traditional method, 100% Chardonnay sparkling wine.
Sorenson Vineyard
LOCATION:
Deer Park
AVA:
Napa Valley
SOIL:
Konocti Series Volcanic Ash
SLOPE:
27 degrees
Sorenson Vineyard
Napa Valley AVA
First planted in 1870s, Sorenson Vineyard has served as the beating heart of Burgess for more than 150 years. Climbing 800-1,000 feet above sea level, this vineyard is carved into the western-facing slopes of Howell Mountain, overlooking the Napa Valley below. The landscape is dotted with large boulders on the “Konocti Series Volcanics” soil, a very densely compacted volcanic ash, as pines and redwoods surround the vineyard, cooled by morning fog during the harvest months.
Clos Abeille Vineyard
LOCATION:
East St. Helena
AVA:
St. Helena/p>
SOIL:
Yolo Volcanic Loam
SLOPE:
5 degrees
Clos Abeille Vineyard
St. Helena AVA
Situated in the west-facing benchlands of St. Helena’s east side, the Clos Abeille Vineyard is the showpiece of our regenerative farming movement. Named for the bees, “Abeilles,” that inhabit our first Napa Valley apiary next to our specifically designed pollinator gardens, this vineyard has been planted with Cabernet Sauvignon since 2002 on Kidd gravelly loam soil.
