Originally published in the St. Helena Star
When was your winery founded?
“We purchased the property in 2013, and it is known by locals as the old ‘Heinemann Mountain Vineyard’ property from the 1970s. It was originally developed by Florentine Kellogg in the 1890s when he was given a large land grant in exchange for engineering the Bale Mill; he planted his vineyard to Riesling and Berger grapes.”
Why did you choose to be in the Spring Mountain District American Viticultural Area (AVA)?
“The ranch is located inside Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, with the entrance at the Bale Grist Mill State Park. We felt the location was so unique and ‘old Napa’ in walking onto the property for the first time that we knew we had found something very special.”
Who is owner? Who is winemaker? Who is vineyard manager?
“The property is owned by Pam and Alan Bergman, along with their two adult sons, Ryan and Brett. Nigel Kinsman is the consulting winemaker, and David Abreu is the vineyard manager.”
How many acres do you farm in the Spring Mountain District AVA? How does that break down into types of varietals/acre?
“We have 10 acres planted to vines on our 40-acre ranch.”
Do you farm sustainably/organically/biodynamically?
“Yes, we felt an incredible responsibility as land stewards as residents inside the state park. After purchasing the property in 2013 and the neighboring parcel in 2015, we immediately began conversion to organically certified vineyards, garden, orchard and rose garden on the property. We integrate regenerative and biodynamic farming techniques and are a proudly certified Napa Green, Fish Friendly Farming and Bee Friendly Farming property. We also integrate permaculture practices in our land management work and have invested significantly in environmental engineering and cleanup of over 24 acres of land to strive for a park-like setting as neighbors of Bothe and Bale Mill.”
Please describe your vineyards: soil; exposure; narrow spacing; type of trellising; irrigation/dry-farmed, etc.
“We were fortunate to find an unusual patch of Aiken soil in the volcanic landslide area of the Spring Mountain District where we live and farm. We replaced the vineyard from the 1970s with a focus on orientation of vines, drip and mister irrigation and weather station monitoring daily to minimize irrigation needs.”
Wineries today try to differentiate the visitor experience. What is unique about visiting your winery/tasting room?
“We are not open to the public due to our location inside the State Park, and only host tastings for trade and industry, as well as family and friends at our home on the ranch. That means each visit is very precious to us and that is something we hope each guest feels when they come to the property. As you drive up from Highway 29 through the Park entrance, you immediately begin to appreciate the isolated location of the Bergman vineyard and to discover that the forest surrounds the vineyard and contributes to its protected and unique ecosystem as well as its biodiversity.”
What might surprise people to learn about you/your winery/your operation?
“We are a 100% estate-driven operation, from farming to vinification to winemaking to bottling. Some might say our emphasis is an extreme level of detail — bordering on obsession — where we strive to control every operation in the winemaking process. This is reflected in the careful design of the winery and the state-of-the-art tools that we use. While we cannot control nature, we aim to balance that in the winery.”
What is special about the Spring Mountain District AVA in your opinion? Is it misunderstood? What do you wish visitors knew about it which perhaps they don’t?
“There is a strong sense of rugged individualism and yet community in the Spring Mountain District AVA, and a definite sense of excitement building around the Spring Mountain District AVA. We believe this is due to the diversity of the hillside vineyards and individual characters of the wines from this AVA that make it exciting to be here — but also make it challenging to understand and farm. With the Bergman vineyard, the grapes from this single-vineyard historically have had a very strong and singular character, leading the vineyard to be one of the earliest vineyard-designated wines in Napa Valley in the 1970s under the Joseph Phelps label. It is our challenge to ensure that the voice of this very special vineyard can be expressed again.”
What’s your favorite place in St. Helena to eat, drink or relax?
“We love the courtyard at The Charter Oak and can recall sitting there in the 1990s countless times when it was the old Tra Vigne restaurant. Watching the restoration of this legendary site reminds us of the importance of Napa Valley’s history, much like our ranch. We are also excited to see the Vine Trail nearing completion, as we see it as a transformational moment in the Napa Valley for long walks and bike rides to relax and truly enjoy the special beauty that this area holds.”
Learn more about Bergman Family Vineyards here
(This is the latest in a series of Q&A articles highlighting winemakers and grapegrowers in the St. Helena area. This week’s subject is Pam Bergman of Bergman Family Vineyards.)