Continuum
Continuum Estate is located on the east side of Napa Valley on Pritchard Hill in California. The estate has a total of 172 hectares, of which 41 hectares are used for winegrowing. The area is being expanded, and in the future the winery is expected to own more than 60 hectares. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in the plantings, followed by Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.
Continuum Estate was founded in 2005 by Tim Mondavi, of the famous Mondavi family. Together with his father Robert and his sister Marcia, they jointly worked on classic Bordeaux blends with a California twist. The family had been looking for the perfect place for the new winery for a long time. Their search ended at Pritchard Hill. The unique terroir makes it possible to produce world-class wines. The wine cellar/vinification room was designed by the architect Howard Backen. In this room, gravity is used to move the wine.
The soil of the vineyards consists of stony, volcanic rock with a loam layer. This structure is quite poor and therefore ensures a low growth potential. The altitude varies from 400 to 500 meters. All these factors together ensure good and concentrated grapes. During the harvest, an average of 25-30% of the bunches are rejected, because they do not meet the quality standards.
The portfolio consists of their top wine Continuum, Novicum and a number of Cellar Wines. The bunches of grapes are fermented in cement tanks or in wooden barrels. Barrels of up to 85% new French oak are used for maturation. Each vintage is barrel aged for 19 to 20 months.
The 2018 vintage has been described as the winemaker's dream. Other good vintages are: 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2018 en 2019.
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