This past weekend, Spring Mountain Vineyards returned to Premiere Napa Valley, the annual trade event hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners that brings together the global wine community for two days of tasting, connection, and celebration. Sommeliers, buyers, importers, and collectors gathered from around the world to reconnect with the region, taste new vintages, and bid on exclusive lots available nowhere else. This year, over 1,000 trade members traveled to the Napa Valley from 25 states and 12 countries to be part of it.
Our weekend kicked off on Friday with two back-to-back tastings that set the tone for everything that followed. To begin, we were honored to pour with the Atelier Melka portfolio — a first for Spring Mountain Vineyards, and one that sparked some of the most energetic conversations of the weekend. In the company of winemaker Philippe Melka's celebrated wines, we were able to showcase our deep library and the evolution of our wines and provide a fresh lens through which to discover (or rediscover) what we're doing on the mountain.
Later that day, we joined our neighbors at the Spring Mountain District tasting at Alila, showcasing the singular character of our appellation. Events like these remind us how powerful it is to be part of a community of growers and producers who share our unique mountain landscape — and a sense of purpose.
On Saturday, we moved into the iconic Barrel Room at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone for the centerpiece of Premiere Napa Valley: the Grand Tasting. With 181 lots poured across the room, every wine is an opportunity to taste something you simply cannot find on a retail shelf — special, one-of-a-kind bottlings crafted specifically for this event, many of them debuting the 2024 vintage that won't be widely available for another year or two.
For our lot, we poured the 2024 La Perla Cabernet Sauvignon, titled the Final Chapter. Long considered the crown jewel of our estate, La Perla’s Block 101 (the vineyard parcel from which it is sourced) has been continuously planted for more than 150 years. But 2024 marks the end of that chapter. For the first time in four decades, La Perla will undergo a complete replant — making this vintage not just a wine, but a farewell.
Crafted from 100% old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon and aged 22 months in 100% Taransaud French Oak, the 2024 La Perla offers the purest expression of Spring Mountain character. It is a historic, unrepeatable bottling — its legacy forever sealed in this final, extraordinary vintage.
Later that afternoon, trade members gathered in the Barrel Room once more — this time with numbered paddles in hand — for the live auction. When the gavels fell, the auction had raised a total of $3 million, a testament to the enthusiasm still pulsing through the industry. Our lot was purchased by Chester Cox, who owns Classic Wine, in Texas.
Walking back into Premiere this year, we felt the warmth of return. Old friends sought us out and new faces lit up when they heard our story. People were excited about what's happening at Spring Mountain Vineyards: the replanting and the renewal of our historic estate. It was an amazing weekend and we were grateful for every pour, every conversation, and every moment to connect.