Newton Vineyard was founded thirty years ago by Peter and SuHua Newton. They recognized the potential of the Spring Mountain district to produce world-class Bordeaux varietal wines and assumed the challenge to plant the rugged slope and build a winery into the hillside on their property. The 120-acre Newton Vineyard is terraced on 560 acres at elevations ranging from 500 to 1600 feet above sea level. The vineyard provides varying sun exposures and contains diverse soil types ideal for Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Chardonnay is grown in Carneros, on gentle rolling hills that border San Pablo Bay.
The estate reflects the tastes and heritage of its founders. A formal English parterre garden and British telephone box brings to mind the birthplace of Peter Newton. The Chinese red gate, pagoda and other Asian accents reveal the culture of Su Hua Newton. A single pine tree sits on the mountain ridge, known as Pino Solo, and marks the top of the property. Pino Solo is also the symbol we have chosen for our label, indicating our individual and singular approach to our winemaking practices.
Newton Vineyard’s philosophy is to work in harmony with nature to fully express the terroir and the vintage. Great wines can only be made from great vineyards. The vineyard blocks are planted to the varieties most suited to their location and soils, and are farmed sustainably, with the parcels scattered among the forested land to maintain a balance with the natural habitat. Wine caves are burrowed into the hillside and the fermentation room is hidden by the gardens, blending with the natural surroundings.
Each vineyard block is picked and vinified separately; the winery was designed to preserve the individuality of each parcel. Wines are fermented using yeast indigenous to the vineyard and some are bottled unfiltered, to preserve vineyard character. Newton Vineyard produces three distinct tiers of wine: Puzzle, a Bordeaux blend which is made from the top lots from our Spring Mountain estate; Unfiltered Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, site-influenced, naturally made wines; and approachable, fruit-forward Red Label Claret and Chardonnay.
