NAPA VALLEY, California (September 29, 2016) – The PlumpJack Group today announced the purchase of an 82-acre Howell Mountain vineyard and winemaking facility from Ladera Vineyards, which will be a natural extension of CADE Estate Winery, the first organically farmed LEED Gold Certified winery estate in Napa Valley founded by partners John Conover, Gavin Newsom and Gordon Getty. The acquisition is an ideal step for the ongoing evolution of The PlumpJack Group and CADE as a highly successful producer of acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard is planted to 74 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and three acres of Sauvignon Blanc, providing a significant increase in premium quality, estate vineyard grapes for the CADE winemaking team. As part of the acquisition, Ladera Vineyards will continue to source fruit from the vineyard moving forward.
“This is an extraordinarily exciting step for us as we approach CADE Estate’s tenth vintage,” said John Conover, managing partner and general manager of CADE Estate Winery. “We are honored to assume the responsibility for the stewardship of this remarkable piece of land. It is a beautiful property that has been impeccably planted and farmed, and is now producing some of the best fruit in the Napa Valley.”
Located atop Howell Mountain at an elevation of more than 1,600 feet, the vineyard has been producing high quality grapes since 1877. In addition to acquiring the vineyards, the purchase includes the historic production facility, which CADE Estate Winery plans to use for elevated guest experiences and private events. Ladera Vineyards will continue to host tours and tastings at the winery through the end of the year and produce their 2016 vintage on-site. While CADE is purchasing a vineyard and winemaking facility from the Stotesbery family, it is not acquiring Ladera Vineyards, which will continue to make Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from select hillside and mountain vineyards.
“While we have loved our role as the stewards of this special place, because our children have decided to pursue careers outside of wine, our Howell Mountain home had grown a bit big for us,” said Pat Stotesbery, Ladera’s Proprietor. “This sale will ensure that this remarkable vineyard and its winery are in great hands for decades to come, while allowing us to focus all of our energies on making the best wines possible for Ladera.”
The historic Howell Mountain winery, the 13th bonded winery in California, was one of the valley’s early gravity-flow facilities featuring the most modern technology of the era. “As leaders in green grape growing, winemaking and architectural practices today,” said Conover, “we feel a special kinship with this winery and the founders’ commitment to modernity and relevancy.”
Typical of Howell Mountain, the vineyard boasts rich, volcanic soils that produce bold, fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon and fresh, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. CADE Estate Winery will continue to produce its flagship varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc under the leadership of Winemaker Danielle Cyrot.
“This expansion of CADE Estate Winery speaks to the passion of The PlumpJack Group,” said Gavin Newsom, partner of The PlumpJack Group. “We are proud to continue the legacy of this extraordinary Howell Mountain estate.”
The acquisition of the Howell Mountain vineyard and winemaking facility adds to The PlumpJack Group’s impressive portfolio of award-winning wines, innovative restaurants and luxury resorts, each with a focus on the individual experience. “It has always been in PlumpJack’s growth plan to expand our presence in Northern California wine country, and we couldn’t have found a better fit with the acquisition of the neighboring vineyards from Ladera,” said Jeremy Scherer, co-president of The PlumpJack Group. “Not only is the vineyard and the land spectacular, we are very excited about expanding CADE Estate’s offerings.”
About CADE Estate
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.
CADE Estate Winery (www.cadewinery.com) is located at 360 Howell Mountain Road in Angwin, California. CADE is open for tastings by appointment only seven days a week from 10 AM to 4 PM and can be reached by calling (707) 965-2746.
About The PlumpJack Group
The PlumpJack Group (www.plumpjack.com) is a hospitality management company dedicated to creating unique individual experiences for its guests. Its portfolio includes award-winning wineries, acclaimed restaurants, nightclubs, bars, retail stores, catering services, and hotels. The PlumpJack Group began in 1992 when partner, former San Francisco mayor, and currently Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom founded the first PlumpJack Wine Store on Fillmore Street with the goal of making the experience of wine discovery more fun and approachable for all customers – the connoisseur and the uninitiated alike. More than two decades later, under the leadership of Hilary Newsom and Jeremy Scherer, The PlumpJack Group has established itself as the signature Northern California lifestyle and hospitality brand.
About Ladera Vineyards
Founded in 1998, Ladera Vineyards is dedicated to making exceptional Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc using grapes from the finest estate and hillside vineyards. Guided by the Stotesbery family, and Winemaker Jade Barrett, Ladera’s wines have earned acclaim for their depth, character and complexity. In addition to two Ladera Cabernet Sauvignons and a Sauvignon Blanc, the Stotesbery family also produces a Pillow Road Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a prized 10-acre estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley. www.laderavineyards.com. International Wine Associates served as the exclusive advisors to and represented Ladera Vineyards in this transaction.
