2021 Desire Lines La Jolla del Norte Riesling

Our 2021 La Jolla del Norte Vineyard Riesling is a crown jewel, both rare and beautiful, coming from half of seven rows of old-vine Riesling just east of the Silverado Trail in St. Helena, in soils that glitter black in the daylight from all the obsidian sprinkled throughout the vineyard. The vines were planted in 1961, according to Katrina Kirkham (or perhaps 1970), who with her husband Gene purchased the land from Captain John Thomas Blackburn in 1975. A planting date of 1961 places this as California’s third-oldest Riesling vineyard, behind just the venerable Stony Hill (1948) and hometown favorite Heinstein (1954). Amazingly, these vines have been farmed organically by the Kirkham family since 1979, almost two decades before national organic standards and certifying bodies existed.

The fruit was whole-cluster pressed, settled in tank, and racked to two neutral barrels for fermentation. In the spring following harvest, the wine was racked to stainless steel drums to preserve freshness and tension. The resulting wine is beautifully aromatic, generously textured, and a glimpse into the past. Or, perhaps even a vision of what a more diverse Napa Valley might look like in the future.

91 points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

“The 2021 No. 11 Crown Jewel is Riesling from the La Jolla del Norte Vineyard in St. Helena. Airy and weightless, the 2021 is full of citrus, white flowers, sage, mint and green pear notes. A whole range of savory and earthy inflections emerge with air. Bright acids give this understated, mid-weight Riesling tons of energy.” -AG

Sign Up to receive future Offerings