Ovid: The winemaker’s perspective

Napa Valley’s Ovid is a prized producer among premium California collectors. Established in 2000 by Mark Nelson and Dana Johnson, the iconic estate is now owned by the Duncan family, founders and owners of the leading American luxury wine brand Silver Oak. Decanter discusses the origins of Ovid’s vineyard and winery with winemaker Austin Peterson, who began working in the cellar in 2006.

For readers unfamiliar with Ovid, describe its location atop Pritchard Hill. What about the site’s geology makes it so unique in Napa Valley?

Ovid is located on the east side of Napa Valley, at 426m above Oakville. The east side of the valley was formed through volcanic uplift, and Pritchard Hill is a unique slice of that, with bright red, iron-rich volcanic clay-loam soils and lots of rock. This streak of red soil runs from [neighbouring estate] Continuum right behind us down through Dalla Valle, Rudd and Screaming Eagle.

When were vines first planted at Ovid?

The vineyard was planted in 2000 and was in an area that hadn’t been planted before. Without any history to draw on, we planted 6.5ha as an experiment – 17 different blocks, all with a different clone and rootstock combination.

Tell us about the winery. It was designed with the vineyard in mind, correct? 

That’s right. We designed a gravity-flow winery with enough tanks to accommodate each block. The concrete tanks were poured in place, designed and built by the same masons who constructed the cellars of Bordeaux’s Château Petrus and Château L’Evangile. Separating each block in the cellar has allowed us to carefully evaluate how they perform and evolve as we refine our farming and winemaking techniques.

How do you highlight the unique terroir of Pritchard Hill in the cellar?

It might seem cliché at this point to say that our focus is to be as transparent as possible and let the land speak, but that is our goal. We focus most of our effort on refining our farming techniques.

How do you split your time between the cellar and the vineyard? 

I’d say 70% or more of my time is spent in the vineyard because if I can bring in grapes in mint condition, my job in the cellar is simple – to let the terroir shine through.

How does Ovid’s terroir show in the style of its Cabernet Sauvignon wines?

I find the wines of Pritchard Hill, and Ovid in particular, offer distinctive notes of sage and bay laurel – both of which grow wild here. They have a rich core of vibrant red fruits that reminds me of the bright red soil on a warm summer afternoon. Beautifully burnished tannins frame these wines and give them the depth to age gracefully for a very long time.

What can you tell us about the ageability of the wines?

I had the great fortune of growing up in Napa with a father who was a winemaker, and as I started to study wine, we would often share an older bottle and talk about the vineyard, the winemaker and how that wine was made.

The wines that stood out to me had vibrancy, balance and depth, even after 20, 30 or 40-plus years. So I feel very fortunate to be making wines in a place like Ovid, which produces wines with just these characteristics.

Is there a particular vintage you find is drinking in the ‘sweet spot’ right now? 

The 2013 Ovid is drinking particularly well right now. It was a fantastic vintage in Napa. I opened a bottle the other day and it brought me right back to that harvest – rich and layered fruit with great vibrancy and freshness. Lovely, lovely wine.

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