Wine, a work in progress

The Luxury of ’23

"There are years that ask us to endure, and then there are years that allow us to remember why we fell in love with this work in the first place.

Sumptuous is a word often reserved for the wines, the architecture, the table settings. But perhaps the most intimate look into true Napa Valley luxury is a perfect growing season.

After seasons of fire, drought, and a climate teetering toward unpredictability, 2023 brought a quiet reprieve. Napa Valley received over 50 inches of rain, nearly double our average. For the first time in a long while, the vines had exactly what they needed. And they responded in kind.

Early Spring brought an almost unruly proliferation of growth—lush canopies, emphatic bloom, the kind of verdant vitality that makes you pause mid-row and just look.

Bud break came late, as if it remembered what time used to feel like here. June was fogged in, cool and deliberate. Bloom stretched on. Fruit took its time. Crop came in just above average in our Dr. Crane Vineyard—a detail that feels both luxurious and earned.

To farm is to live in concert with things of a fleeting nature—the morning mist, the pop of bud break, the quiet gravity of fruit ripening just so. Seasons unfold beyond our control, shaped more by patience than by force. And maybe that’s the truest expression of Napa Valley luxury—not what we impose, but what we’re willing to wait for.

And now, your wait is finally over. It’s our great pleasure to release the 2023 vintage to you.

A vintage oh so special. And more to come!"

- The Salvestrin Family, Salvestrin Vineyards - Dr. Crane Vineyard, 5/1/25

"While many celebrate the official end of winter by flipping the calendar to April, we tend to watch the vineyards for signs that spring is here.

As the days grow longer and the temperature warms, the vines wake up and develop plump buds. Soon, the first green leaves and shoots will appear. The growing season is underway at Alexander Valley Vineyards.

The timing of bud break varies with each grape variety, and Chardonnay is usually one of the first in our vineyards. We estimate harvest will occur 175 days after the buds open.

Vintage 2025 is off to a great start. Between October 1 and today, over 45 inches of rainfall has replenished the water table and provided much-needed moisture in the vineyards.

If you walk around the property and look closely, you will see that the signs of spring are everywhere!"

- The Alexander Valley Vineyards Team, 3/31/25

"Our annual Spring release highlights our two core Cabernets from the 2023 vintage, a vintage that will go down as one of the best in Napa Valley history. The 2023 growing season in Napa Valley was ideal, resulting in superb wines across the board. Dense and lush but with wonderful energy and balancing acidity - these richly fruited wines have sumptuous textures and silky tannins that make them delicious now as well as capable of aging for decades."

- The Dakota Shy Family, Dakota Shy Wine, 3/4/25