The Vines of St. Helena: Salvestrin Winery

Originally published in the St. Helena Star |

1. When was your winery founded?

“Winery founded 1994, family vineyard established 1932.”

2. Why did you choose to be in St. Helena/the St. Helena AVA?

“My grandparents John and Emma Salvestrin settled in St. Helena in 1925 and purchased the Dr. Crane estate home and vineyard because it reminded them of the countryside in the homeland of northern Italy.”

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

“Rich and Shannon Salvestrin established the winery on the family vineyard. Rich Salvestrin manages the vineyard, is director of vineyard and winery operations and makes wine alongside winemaker Natalie Winkler. Shannon Salvestrin is director of administration.”

4. How many acres do you farm in the St. Helena AVA? What types of varietals do you grow?

“The Salvestrin-Dr. Crane Estate totals approximately 19 acres and we farm a 2-acre parcel just north of town. The vineyards are predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and we also grow Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.”

5. Do you farm sustainably/organically/biodynamically?

“We are certified organic by CCOF and are also Napa Green-certified, both land and winery. We have been involved with Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming since their inception in Napa County.”

6. Please describe your vineyards: Soil, exposure, spacing, trellising, irrigation vs. dry-farmed, etc.

“Our vineyards are gravelly sandy loam soils that are very well drained and ideal for top-quality grape growing. We have a few different plant densities and two trellis types that feature a similar canopy setup. We are spaced primarily on 8-foot rows but a few acres of older plantings use 10-foot spacing. We use crossarms that display the canes up and outward to create an umbrella-type canopy above the fruit zone. I created and used this canopy during the late ’80s when we first replanted to mimic the canopy of our old head-trained dry-farmed vines we were replacing. We also implement drought-tolerant rootstock to reduce the need to irrigate, although we do have an irrigation system and irrigate the vines as necessary.”

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

“For us the tasting experience is all about the wines. We have a patio outside the winery amongst the vines and an indoor tasting room as well. Most visitors want to be outside where they can taste wine and see the vineyard. We are a small family-owned and -operated winery that prides itself on great hospitality and an authentic experience.”

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

“Our historic estate vineyard was originally planted in 1859 by Dr. George Crane and has been continuously farmed since then. Our family has been operating the vineyard for 91 years since 1932 and four generations have lived and worked here.”

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

“The St. Helena Appellation is a unique and special place to grow grapes because of ideal viticultural conditions. The gravelly, well-drained soils and moderating microclimate are a perfect combination for the multitude of grape varieties grown here. There is certainly a thread finesse, elegance and backbone that is portrayed in wines from this region.”

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

“There are a lot of great restaurants in St. Helena and we love them all, but I can’t think of a better place to put my feet up at the end of the day than my own backyard floating in the pool. We are right in town, surrounded by vineyard and a great view to the western hills.”

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