Abreu Vineyards

About Abreu Vineyards

For over 30 years, David Abreu has painstakingly cultivated a style of winemaking in the Napa Valley that focuses on the vineyards, soils and fruit, and has deservedly gained him iconic status in the Valley. Born and bred in the Napa Valley, he produces iconic, single vineyard wines from his 28 hectares of vineyard.

The cabernet-driven blends, from the meticulous properties of Madrona Ranch, Cappella, Las Posadas and Thorevilos, are proof of his long-honed expertise as to what makes one vineyard truly exceptional, and another just great.

Five wines are produced, all in very small quantities. Madrona Ranch, Thorevilos, Capella and Las Posadas are single vineyards and Rothwell Hyde is a blend of all sites. Low yields, two sortings and co-fermentation by varietal and vineyard block are what makes these wines truly unique; 100 barrels are refined down to only 12,000 bottles.

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Rothwell Hyde Estate 2018

The four individual vineyard sites are set apart by their differences. For Rothwell Hyde, they combine to showcase who we are as a collective and what we do as a company. It is not only having total control of the winegrowing process but also the freedom to embrace each vintage and explore the possibilities of a given year. Rothwell Hyde is truest expression of the vintage, a wine that defines Abreu to the core.

Cappella 2017

On the west side of St. Helena, Cappella sits atop an old riverbed of gravels next to Spring Creek which trickles down from the Mayacamas mountains. The texture from the back half of the 6-acre vineyard forms the core of Cappella while the front section to the north adds depth and richness. The vines weathered the extreme heat of 2017 well due to intense canopy management and the use of shade cloth. The total yield was down considerably however the resulting wine retained all of the signature texture and freshness that makes Cappella so distinct.

Out of 12 barrels produced, the blend was whittled down to a mere 8.5 barrels comprised of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 15% Petit Verdot.

Thorevilos 2017

The eastern hills above St. Helena are an anomaly. Nestled below Howell Mountain and to the west of Conn Valley, these few hundred acres of badlands and rock outcrops are abundant with scrub brush, oaks and pines all rooted in volcanic ash. The white soils are filled with small pebbles creating a pourous soil structure ideal for growing vines. By embracing the intense exposure of the high terraces, selecting bunches from the more exposed areas and balancing ripeness through co–fermentation, harvest can span nearly one month on this single parcel.

From the first three picks at harvest, the 2017 Thorevilos is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot and 10% Merlot.

Las Posadas 2017 (Magnum)

At an elevation of 2000’ on Howell Mountain, Las Posadas is a diverse planting that spans across 33 acres. The combination of varieties, planted over more than a decade, coupled with the unique growing conditions at elevation, yield wine that exudes a distinct character that can only be Las Posadas. In recent vintages, Cabernet Franc from the parcel we call “the corral”, along with the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines at the base of the vineyard, form the core of the wine. Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot are all integral components to finalize the blend.

Due to the varied vine age and mix of varieties at Las Posadas, harvest is lengthy. A barrel selection from the first three picks were blended together to form the 2017 Las Posadas—a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 17% Malbec, 11% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot.

Madrona Ranch 2017 (Magnum)

Madrona Ranch will always be a site that succeeds in any vintage due to its diversity of soils, exposures and vine age. The heat wave at the end of August scorched the most exposed sections of the vineyard and left other blocks untouched. Even though yields were reduced in 2017, we were still able to produce the same quantity of wine as in 2016. With the last pick on October 7, we harvested all of the fruit a day before multiple fires sparked in all parts of the Napa Valley.

The very last pick was a very important mix of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot which rounded out the final blend. The 16 barrel blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot.