Hundred Acre Vineyard

Hundred Acre is an estate based in St Helena in the Napa Valley. It is particularly known for its opulent, single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines, which regularly achieve top scores from from the major wine critics and publications, and always sell out on release.

Proprietor and former investment banker Jayson Woodbridge bought the 3.6-hectare (9-acre) Kayli Morgan vineyard in Howell Mountain in the late 1990s, naming it for the Hundred Acre Wood from Winnie-the-Pooh. This has been joined by the Ark Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from a 6-ha (15-acre) property on Glass Mountain in St Helena, and the Few and Far Between cuvée from a 2-ha (5-acre site) near the historic Eisele vineyard which features around 10 percent Cabernet Franc. The Precious is a cuvée drawn from all three properties.

The vineyard is managed carefully, in such a way that the practices are commensurate with the price of the wines. Vines are pruned to one grape cluster per vine, producing very low yields, and five passes are made at harvest time. At the winery, grapes are sorted berry by berry, and fermented in French oak, usually 500 litre puncheons. Aging time for the wines varies from vintage to vintage, but two years is not out of the ordinary.

Hundred Acres also makes the Ancient Way Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia, a project that saw its first vintage in 2004. This is sourced from an estate-owned vineyard near Greenock Creek, and is aged in new French oak for two years, then racked into fresh new oak French barrels for another two years, before a final year in bottle. It is lush and velvety with masses of black fruits and again is one of the most expensive wines from its region.

Jayson Woodbridge also owns Layer Cake, a collection of wines from around the world at more everyday prices, and the Cherry Pie and Cherry Tart ranges of Californian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Another Napa Valley Cabernet is produced under the Fortunate Son label.