The Vines of St. Helena: Anomaly Vineyards

Originally published in the St. Helena Star |

Anomaly Vineyards

1. When was your winery founded?

“Anomaly was officially founded in 2000. However, in 1997, Steve and Linda Goldfarb had just purchased their St. Helena home which came with six rows of vines. Not knowing much about winemaking, they got a book and proceeded to make a barrel of wine. The bug caught them and in 2000 they hired a real winemaker and began their journey.”

2. Why did you choose to be in the St. Helena American Viticultural Area (AVA)?

“Steve and Linda chose to be in the St. Helena AVA because the property they found was exactly what they were looking for — and fortuitously, it was in the St. Helena AVA which, they learned, was one of the premiere areas in the Napa Valley for growing Cabernet grapes.”

3. Who is owner? Who is winemaker? Who is vineyard manager?

“The winery is owned by Steve and Linda Goldfarb. Their winemaker of 20 years is Mark Porembski. The vineyards are managed by Doug Wight and Erik Dodd of Wight Vineyard Management.”

4. How many acres do you farm in the St. Helena AVA? How does that break down into types of varietals/acre?

“The 8-acre St. Helena vineyard consists of 7 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 0.7 acres of Petit Verdot and 0.3 acres of Cabernet Franc.”

5. Do you farm sustainably/organically/biodynamically?

“Anomaly Vineyards is a California Certified Organic Farm (CCOF) and has been since 2009.”

6. Please describe your vineyards: soil; exposure; narrow spacing; type of trellising; irrigation/dry-farmed, etc.

“Anomaly Vineyards is located on the west side of St. Helena (just south of downtown) tucked up against the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. We are fortunate to have Cortina Loam (alluvial, well drained, gravelly soils) as the predominant soil series in our neighborhood. The vineyard consists of 15 different combinations of rootstock and varietals as well as different row orientations and row widths. Most of the vineyard is set up as bilateral spur pruning, but we also utilize cane pruning in some areas and even have one older block of Cabernet Sauvignon (still going strong) on a taller, quadrilateral style. We irrigate each block according to the requirements of the rootstock and varietal, paying careful attention to overall water consumption.”

7. Wineries today try to differentiate the visitor experience. What’s unique about visiting your winery/tasting room?

“Anomaly Vineyards is a small boutique winery, focused predominantly on Cabernet. The visitor experience is intimate, focused and relaxed. Guests walk through the estate vineyards, tour the tiny winery, and ultimately taste in the barrel cellar. The tasting is a vintage comparison — guests have the opportunity to taste Cabernet Sauvignon from several successive vintages.”

8. What might surprise people to learn about you/your winery/your operation?

“When designing the stone winery over 20 years ago, Steve and Linda reached out to 30 small wineries in the valley looking for advice. The structure is a testament to the spirit of cooperation among Napa Valley producers.”

9. What is special about the St. Helena AVA in your opinion? Is it misunderstood? What do you wish visitors knew about it which perhaps they don’t?

“The St. Helena AVA is the birthplace of the valley’s commercial wine business. It would be wonderful if visitors understood the rich history of the St. Helena AVA, as well as just how many of the Napa Valley’s premiere vineyards and wineries are located here.”

10. What’s your favorite place in St. Helena to eat, drink or relax?

“Steve & Linda love to hang out in their yard with their rescue dog. They love going out to eat at Market, Cook, Goose & Gander, Press, and of course, drink great Napa Valley wines.”

(This is part of a series of Q&A articles highlighting winemakers and grape growers in the St. Helena Appellation.)