Merryvale Vineyards said it acquired Lampyridae Vineyards on Mt. Veeder, a high elevation site featuring Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Syrah and Grenache on 13 planted acres. With this purchase, Merryvale increases its total estate vineyard holdings to 76 planted acres across three properties and three unique Napa Valley American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). Terms weren’t disclosed.
The Lampyridae Vineyard sits just below the peak of Mt Veeder, at 2,550 ft. elevation, the highest vineyard site on Mt. Veeder, and one of the highest in all of Napa Valley. With cooler days and warmer nights than the valley floor, the growing season is extended and the grapes ripen without sugar accumulation, which makes for wines that are very balanced. Lampyridae Vineyard has produced fruit for clients including Beringer Vineyards, Fontanella Family Winery, Handwritten and Kind Cellars.
As an added benefit, Merryvale will receive fruit from this vineyard from the 2021 harvest. According to Winemaker Andrew Wright, “The grapes are tasting great, with intense, dark red fruit characteristics which will be the perfect complement to the savory, blue fruit notes we historically get from the Profile Estate Vineyard. It’s an extreme mountain site with incredible potential and I’m very excited for the wines we will make from this vineyard.”