Three months after purchasing the Wildwood Vineyard in Rutherford, Napa County, Lawrence Jr. has acquired the Haynes Vineyard from Pat Haynes for an undisclosed sum and plans to produce small-batch Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the 13-hectares of vines.
‘We are honored to have the opportunity to preserve the history and legacy of such a great vineyard. We are thrilled to bring on a new team to craft wines for this new estate,” says Lawrence Jr., who has yet to disclose the name of his new project.
Haynes Vineyard was planted in the 1960s under the direction of Louis Martini from St. Helena’s Louis M Martini winery, who recommended planting Wente Clone Chardonnay and Martini Clone Pinot Noir. These vines, now 52-years-old, still thrive on the site.
Heitz CEO Carlton McCoy is impressed by the vineyard. ‘Upon my first visit to the Haynes Vineyard, walking the rows of old vines planted in pristine volcanic soils, I was overwhelmed by the significance of the place. To be able to walk the same rows advised on by Louis Martini and from which wines were produced under the tutelage of Andre Tchelistcheff comes with an enormous obligation.’
McCoy and Lawrence Jr. plan to ‘preserve the soul’ of the Haynes Vineyard while developing their own independent estate on the land.
‘The vines are our connection to our Napa Valley Pioneers. As a sommelier, I have been fortunate to enjoy the Haynes Vineyard wines for years, crafted by winemakers that I admire most in California. While we look forward to continuing our relationship with these wineries, we will be developing our own independent estate, creating a unique and elegant expression of the ancient vines at the Haynes Vineyard,’ adds McCoy.
