by Petrus Bekker
For wine enthusiasts who dare to veer off the beaten path, determined to discover a unique Napa Valley wine, Eeden in the Spring Mountain District offers such an opportunity. Eeden Vineyards is located on Spring Mountain Road, approximately 3 miles northwest of the Napa Valley town of St. Helena. The first time we took the journey up Spring Mountain Road, it was hard to imagine that there could be vineyards tucked away in the majestic forest of redwoods, firs, and pines. However, as we traveled along the winding road, the terrain suddenly opened up onto a plateau with a spectacular view. Since our arrival in 2002, sporadic discoveries have provided pieces of the puzzle of Eeden's history. These include a wooden beam with the words "La Granja" carved into it; original architectural floor plans of the three-bedroom main residence of Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Beringer, hand-drawn by architect J. Clarence Felciano; wooden grape collection boxes with the names "Beringer Bros." and "Olga Beringer" stamped on the sides; and the words "Los Hermanos Vineyards" painted on the pool pump house. Together, these discoveries revealed that the property once belonged to the Beringer family. Charles was the son of Jacob who, with his brother Frederick Beringer, established the first Beringer vineyard and winery in St. Helena. In 1914, Charles and other family members incorporated Beringer Bros. Los Hermanos Vineyards. Based on a picture painting we discovered, Charles and his wife Bertha also established the first vineyards on Eeden.
When reading the history of the times, it is clear that Bertha was quite creative in preventing the demise of the Beringer empire during Prohibition. Based on her idea, they turned the grapes into raisin cakes, which were allowed under the Volstead act to make "non-intoxicating cider and fruit juices for home consumption". However, the raisin cakes were easily turned into wine. Attractive young demonstrators in department stores "warned" potential buyers not to leave the raisin cakes in jugs for 21 days after adding liquid, because they would turn the liquid into wine. Furthermore, they pointed out that customers should not cork the liquid, because this was only necessary for fermentation to occur!
When we acquired the property in 2002, only remnants of the vineyards remained, even though the stone terraces survived. In 2003, we replanted the vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah. The name "Eeden" is not only a family name, but also a name that reflects the pristine, natural beauty of the land. Our first wines were produced from the 2005 harvest, and capture the unique bouquet of wines from the Spring Mountain District. Please visit us at our website eedenwines.com for more information and news about our wine releases
