The 129-acre Pope Valley investment secures The PlumpJack Collection estate portfolio as one of the largest in Napa Valley
Napa Valley, Calif. (August 26, 2022) – The PlumpJack Collection of Wineries, a focused portfolio of world-class Napa Valley-based wineries including PlumpJack Estate Winery, CADE Estate Winery, Odette Estate Winery and 13th Vineyard by CADE, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Oso Vineyard, a sprawling, high elevation site in northeastern Napa Valley.
With this investment, The PlumpJack Collection is now one of the largest estate wineries in Napa Valley. Its significant estate footprint already includes CADE Estate and 13th Vineyard by CADE on Howell Mountain, Odette Estate in Stag’s Leap District, and PlumpJack Estate Winery in Oakville. The purchase will help provide The PlumpJack Collection with access to high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot for years to come, ensuring its ongoing Estate channels of vertical integration.
The PlumpJack Collection grew familiar with Oso Vineyard’s potential after years of sourcing fruit from its previous owner, the Michael Mondavi Family Estate (who purchased the Pope Valley property in 2006). Roughly a third of the 129-acre vineyard’s grapes have been purchased for The PlumpJack Collection’s Adaptation label in recent years.
Abutting the border of the Howell Mountain AVA, Oso Vineyard’s topography is best known for its striking amphitheater characterized by soils of akin and tufa and stone-lined terraces sloping at an elevation of over 1,200 feet. Three lakes on the property make it especially unique for dry Pope Valley, providing a generous water source for vines while fostering the biodiversity that gives it its name. The Oso Vineyard draws its name from the Spanish word for bear, a reference to the many black bears that frequent the vineyard to feast on ripe grapes every fall.
“Our Oso Vineyard acquisition further strengthens our long-term strategy of supporting our growth with robust estate vineyards,” said John Conover, managing partner of the PlumpJack Collection of Wineries. “Adding Oso’s 129 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot to our estate program will provide us with exceptional grapes for Adaptation as well as CADE and 13th Vineyard by CADE, all while cementing our commitment to the Napa Valley. We view Pope Valley as Napa’s last undiscovered gem and we’re as thrilled as we are humbled to become stewards of this magnificent high-elevation diamond in the rough.”
The Pope Valley is in the northeastern corner of Napa Valley. It has seen a rise in prominence in recent years, as wineries have uncovered its potential to grow fruit at higher elevations, like Howell Mountain and Atlas Peak.
Planted on slopes rising up from Schwartz Creek, Oso Vineyard is nestled between Sugarloaf and Howell Mountain, where the historic Oat Hill Mine Road begins its ascent over the mountain toward Calistoga. There, the vines grow on beautiful, stone-lined terraces, out of a rocky, porous soil at an elevation of 1,250 feet. The high drainage stresses the vines, leading to the signature high flavor concentration in the resulting wines. The grapes remain fresh and vibrant throughout the growing season due to a far more dramatic diurnal shift than other parts of Napa Valley – warmer days develop ripeness, but the cooler evenings retain the fruits’ mouthwatering acidities. From the soil and elevation, the mountain fruit extracts intense varietal characteristics, with firm structures that provide excellent aging potential in the wines.
Winemaker Jeff Owens of Odette Estate Winery will primarily work with the red varieties from Oso Vineyard for Adaptation. Owens launched Adaptation in 2021, with the aim of providing the perfect entry-point to Odette and the PlumpJack Collection of Wines at its comparatively accessible $78 price. The label’s instant success is largely credited to its Oso Vineyard source, which is why there are now plans to expand Adaptation with a Reserve label. Danielle Cyrot, winemaker for CADE Estate Winery and 13th Vineyard by CADE, will manage Oso Vineyard’s 14 acres dedicated to Sauvignon Blanc, further advancing CADE’s critically acclaimed track record with its signature white variety.
For more information, please contact PlumpJackWinesPR@glodownead.com.
About PlumpJack Estate Winery
Owned by partners Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty and John Conover, and operated by PlumpJack Management Group, PlumpJack Winery is located in Napa Valley’s famed Oakville AVA. In its relatively short history, PlumpJack Winery has had a significant impact on the wine industry. Its first release, the 1995 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, created a stir when Robert Parker, Jr. assigned it a rating of 95+, an extraordinary achievement for an inaugural release. The winery made international headlines in 2000 when it became the first producer to release a luxury wine, its 1997 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, with a screw cap closure. Since joining PlumpJack Winery in 2012, Winemaker Aaron Miller has shown true dedication to crafting Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon in the PlumpJack style, showcasing the unique soils, terrain, and microclimates of the estate’s 42 acres. Under Miller, PlumpJack has been honored with several accolades over the last ten years, including three 100-point Cabernet Sauvignons and two Syrahs in the Top 100 Wines of the World.
PlumpJack Winery (www.plumpjackwinery.com) is located at 620 Oakville Cross Road, Oakville, CA 94562. PlumpJack Winery is open for tastings seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached by calling (707) 945-1220.
About Odette Estate Winery
Odette Estate is located in Napa Valley’s famed Stag’s Leap District. The distinctive soils here are renowned for imparting extraordinary power, balanced by delicately articulated structure, varietal aromas and flavors to the wines. Odette’s winemaker is Jeff Owens, who was assistant winemaker at both PlumpJack and CADE. The name Odette was chosen for its representation of femininity, strength and power, all of which characterize the wines of Stag’s Leap District. Odette Estate includes a historic 36-acre vineyard and a 5,000-square-foot winery with 18,000 square feet of caves. In 2021, Owens launched Adaptation, a new wine label under Odette Estate, which was designed to represent the perfect entry-point to Odette and the PlumpJack Collection of Wines at its comparatively accessible $78 price.
Odette Estate Winery (www.odetteestate.com) is located at 5998 Silverado Trail, California 94558 and is open for tastings Mon-Sun from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached by calling (707) 224-7533.
About CADE Estate Winery
Perched high upon Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain among a dramatic hillside of Manzanita trees, CADE Winery is a unique, state-of-the-art facility producing an exquisite Estate Cabernet as well as an enticing Sauvignon Blanc and a rich Cabernet Sauvignon from local artisanal grapes. Having received its Gold LEED certification in 2009, CADE is the greenest winery estate in California. The name CADE derives from a Shakespearean term used for an oak cask or barrel. The estate comprises more than 54 acres, 21 of which were planted as vineyards in 2003. CADE is dedicated to the production of world-class wines through environmentally conscious innovation and is one of the architectural showplaces of Northern California’s wine country. Danielle Cyrot has headed up winemaking at CADE since 2012. In 2016, Cyrot opened 13th Vineyard by CADE, restoring a historic property that dates to 1886 (and was the 13th bonded winery in California). She also helped commission a UC Davis study that proved how screw cap closures are a viable and eco-friendly alternative to cork. Her work has helped define the next generation of luxury wine packaging, dismantling the status quo and reframing screw caps as not only an acceptable closure for high end wine – but one that collectors should actively seek out.
CADE Estate Winery (www.cadewinery.com) is located at 360 Howell Mountain Road, Angwin, California 94508. CADE is open for tastings by appointment only seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached by calling (707) 965-2746.
