Checkerboard Coyote Ridge Vineyard Red Blend Diamond Mountain 2021

If we refer to a small, estate winery or vineyard as a jewel, then the Diamond Mountain District is a treasure trove! This region of volcanic soils comprises just 500 planted acres, all above 400 feet in elevation, that span the fog-crested Mayacamas Mountains between St. Helena and Calistoga. The established wineries here are few, but they are among Napa’s most prestigious: Diamond Creek, Constant-Diamond, The Vineyardist, and our royal highlight for the day, Checkerboard. 

Checkerboard Vineyards is located on the southeastern slopes of Diamond Mountain at the northern end of the Napa Valley, farmed by Jim Barbour and handcrafted by Martha McClellan, a woman known for painstakingly meticulous winemaking (and also known for her winemaking at Levy & McClellan, Sloan, Vineyard 7&8, Hamel, and formerly at Blankiet and Harlan).

“Coyote Ridge Vineyard is sited at 900 feet in elevation and composed of red clay and shattered basalt rock.  The vineyard’s name comes from a fondness for a family of coyotes who protect the vines from burrowing pests.