Widely acclaimed as a California wine trailblazer, "Newton Vineyard" was one of the first wineries on Spring Mountain, a rugged yet serene appellation located west of St. Helena on the eastern flank of the Mayacamas range which separates Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Newton Vineyard was established in 1977, the vision of founders Dr. Su Hua and Peter Newton, who recognized the potential of Spring Mountain as a prime viticultural region. Robert Parker Jr. said one day about Newton Vineyard : “All of these wines from their beautiful mountain vineyard are among the most natural made in the world.”

Newton’s approach to winemaking is meticulous, using techniques based on an old-world style including natural fermentation and bottling without filtration. The grapes are handled with care, hand-picked in small lots and transferred for gentle pressing to the Spring Mountain cellar. The winery is custom-designed to allow lots from 112 distinct parcels to ferment separately, affording the winemaker an abundance of options when constructing final blends. Barrel aging takes place in a cave built into the mountain directly underneath the winery.

These purist traditions take more time and care, but the outstanding fruit produced in this mountain vineyard deserves special attention. The artisan approach pioneered thirty years ago continues to drive the winemaking philosophy at Newton Vineyard today. Now the "LVMH Group" in the owner of the "Newton Vineyard".

Détails on their production of great wines appreciated all over the world :

The Puzzle : every year Newton crafts a single paramount wine that represents the finest expression of its Spring Mountain Estate. Much like finding the right pieces to a puzzle, the winemaker hand selects fruit from 112 separate vineyard blocks. To preserve the unique character of each parcel, the fruit remains isolated by vineyard block for natural fermentation and barrel aging. Working patiently and in harmony with nature, Newton produces an artful blend so profound and complex that it is known as The Puzzle.

Recognized as an American pioneer of unfiltered wines, Newton Vineyard is dedicated to working in harmony with nature to transform grapes of uncompromised quality into wines of distinctive character. Based on an old-world style, Newton’s winemaking techniques include natural fermentation and bottling without filtration. These purist traditions preserve the natural depth of flavor, bouquet and structure.

Unfiltered Chardonnay : this profound and powerful Chardonnay exhibits a rich, complex intensity that can only be found in unfiltered wines. The grapes are predominantly grown in the Carneros region where bay breezes and morning fog combine to create the cooler climate ideal for growing Chardonnay rich with concentrated flavors

Unfiltered Merlot : Newton Unfiltered Merlot reveals elegant flavors and rich aromas. The grapes are hand-picked from ideal vineyard blocks on Spring Mountain, which is recognized as one of the premier locations for growing Bordeaux varietals

Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon : Newton Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon reveals layers of richness and a complex structure. The grapes are hand-picked from ideal vineyard blocks on Spring Mountain, which is recognized as one of the premier locations for growing Bordeaux varietals.

After a great degustation I bought 3 bottles to bring back to France : 1 Claret and 2 unfiltered Chardonnay.

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Between the 13th of May and the 3rd of June 2013 we spent 3 wonderful weeks in the west part of USA. It was our first trip in this part of USA, and each day was full of surprises, with countless breathtaking landscapes.

After 3 days in San Francisco, Sausalito, and on the north coast, we made a flight to Las Vegas, to began