Some things are simply meant to be, like when Dennis and Judy Groth first spotted the vineyard that would become their home from the top of the Oakville grade. The year was 1981 and, by 1982, their first vintage from the 121 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, originally planted by Justin Meyer and Ray Duncan in the early 1970s, was released. In 1985, the Groth’s 1985 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (grapes selected from a special lot in the vineyard) received the distinction of becoming the first American wine to earn 100 points from Robert Parker.
From the beginning, the winery produced Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. (It also owns a 44-acre vineyard in Yountville where Merlot and Chardonnay are grown.) Its label has remained the same throughout.
“My dad’s criteria for the label was for it to be simple, and for someone to be able to read it in a dark restaurant from across the room,” says Suzanne Groth, vice president of sales and marketing and part owner of the winery (along with her parents and her brother, Andrew, who oversees winemaking and vineyard management).
Suzanne knows a bit about art herself, since her brightly colored acrylic paintings, inspired by the winery and vineyard, are released as posters each year a Reserve Cabernet is produced (it doesn’t happen every year). “The posters happened by accident,” she says. “The first was of the original Block One [where the reserve comes from], which has since been replanted. I painted is as a birthday gift for my mom. She used it as a postcard to announce the release that fall [1995],” and, from there, a tradition was born. Inspired by the fauvism movement, “the ‘wild beasts’ of the art world, who were reacting to impressionism by using colors next to each other that occur on opposite ends of the color spectrum,” she says her artwork is “a fun way to use the creative side of my brain.” The posters are just one example of how Groth incorporates the personalities of each individual who works there.
“We have 27 employees and everyone’s talents are maximized,” she says. The winery produces 70,000 cases annually on average, about 17,000 to 22,000 of which are Cabernet Sauvignon (this includes both the Oakville and the Reserve).
Winemaker Michael Weis joined Groth in 1994, and has overseen a replanting of the entire estate as well as the building of a new and expanded winery—built per his specifications to create the best wine possible.
“The old Cabernet Sauvignon rootstock of St. George with an unknown clone was difficult to get ripe; it was always one of the last in the valley,” says Weis. “It had a more herbal flavor because of that. Now, with a better mix of rootstock, clones, training and canopy management, there’s more of a blackberry and black cherry character. You can see the change especially in the 2005 Reserve, which was the first release after the 1999 replanting.
“In the winery, the tanks are designed with the Reserve Cabernet in mind. The grapes are picked at night, when its cold, for an extended prefermentation cold soak. After fermentation, the wine is transferred to new French oak barrels, where it undergoes malolactic fermentation with sur lie aging and bâtonnage [lees contact and stirring],” he says. “I’m of the elegance and balance school. I’m not into heavy tannins or blockbuster wine. I want good texture, soft tannins and lush wines that aren’t overblown. I want the fruit to stand out.”
Obviously, NorthBay biz readers agree with his style.
“Thank you [NorthBay biz readers]!” says Suzanne. “We’re rooted in Oakville and Cabernet is king here. So that’s perfect!”
