Vyborny

He wisely chose the Oak Glade. But if he wanted, he could plant vines on a cobblestone street.

It’s kind of hard to get a degree in viticulture from UC Davis in '69, move to Napa in ’74, set up your own company in ‘76 and still be under the radar in come present day. In fact, Alex Vyborny is such a low-key guy, you’d never know he’s the vineyard manager behind the success of Far Niente, Joseph Phelps and Chateau Souverain (to name a few).

We count on Alex and his half-acre Oak Glade Vineyard (planted in a dried-up old rocky river bed with specially selected cuttings from pre-prohibition vineyards) for our first true Mixed Blacks: A wild field blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Malvasia varieties. There’s just no end—to his talent, expertise or the finish on this wine.

Planted directly into cortina stony and mixed over wash soils, multiple varietals intertwine in an interplanted orchestra of fruit. Temperatures are moderately warm, but affected by early morning fog that controls acidity levels. A jungle of grapes indeed, it is truly a sight to behold.

Town: Oakville

Region: Napa Valley

Appellation: Oakville

Wines: Mixed Blacks