Blackbird Vineyards

Blackbird Vineyards was originally located in the heart of the Oak Knoll District in the southern part of Napa Valley and the property was purchased by Michael Polenske in 2003 from the Trefethen family, proprietors of nearby Trefethen Vineyards. The site used to be a walnut orchard but is now entirely planted to Merlot. When we think of this variety, we always think of Oak Knoll as Merlot grows especially well in this part of Napa Valley. Over the years, a number of premium producers have purchased grapes from this vineyard including Shafer, Viader, and Lail. The property is nearly 10 acres of which 7 acres are planted to vine.

An early success from this vineyard was when well-regarded winemaker Mia Klein created a vineyard designate from this vineyard for her 1999 Selene Merlot (her own label which unfortunately ceased production in 2020).

Blackbird Vineyards was founded by Bermuda born Polenske, a former investment banker who had success in the financial world early in his career. At age 37 he was already the head of the Private Client Group at J.P. Morgan in San Francisco; later he became President & CEO for Chase Manhattan Bank & Trust Co., Western Division. He is an entrepreneur and art collector. His father was in the U.S. Air Force and the family lived in a number of places including at Travis Air Force Base. It was while living here that he was introduced to wine country; he eventually took a number of wine related classes while in college.

He follows “the business of leisure” model, or more simply stated, invest in what you love and turn that into a self-sustaining business. He did this with Blackbird Vineyards followed by a number of interests in the art and design world including Ma(i)sonry in Yountville which he sold to Restoration Hardware in 2014.

Blackbird Vineyards is associated with the Bespoke Collection which includes ÆRENA wines, Mendoza, Argentina based Recuerdo wines and art galleries and installations. In 2010 Polenske purchased the I. Wolk Gallery in St. Helena after the founder and local art pioneer Ira Wolk tragically died in a bicycling accident. Today there are ÆRENA Galleries in downtown Napa, downtown St. Helena on site of the former I. Wolk Gallery, on the north side of the main plaza in Healdsburg in Sonoma County and in downtown Mill Valley in Marin County. One former ÆRENA Galleries & Gardens, but now closed, was in Yountville. The works at each of the galleries differ as do the artists represented. And the name ÆRENA was pulled from The Man in the Arena, a speech that Theodore Roosevelt delivered in Sorbonne Paris in 1910.

ÆRENA Gallery & Gardens, 600 Main Street Napa

ÆRENA Gallery & Gardens, 1354 Main Street, St. Helena

ÆRENA Gallery & Gardens, 115 Plaza Street Healdsburg

ÆRENA Gallery & Gardens, 53 Throckmorton Ave, Mill Valley

In 2019 John and Julia Hinshaw purchased a majority interest in Blackbird Vineyards (although Polenske still has a minority interest) and are now overseeing the company. They did not purchase the original Blackbird Vineyards site in the Oak Knoll District; this property remains under Polenske’s ownership. The Hinshaw’s have been investors in Blackbird since 2014. They also own the 160+ acre Greeg Mountain Ranch on Hennessey Ridge in the Vaca mountains east of Rutherford (called the ‘birds’ nest’). This site is planted to approximately 4.5 acres of vines, all Cabernet Sauvignon, planted on three unique sites (4 blocks) at an elevation of approximately 1,200 feet. The vines were first planted in 2003/2004 with the first harvest in 2006.

John has enjoyed a successful career as an executive at a variety of companies including Verizon, The Boeing Company, Hewlett-Packard and currently as the Group Chief Operating Officer and Group Managing Director at HSBC. Julia is responsible for the philanthropic efforts for Blackbird Vineyards. And over the years Blackbird has a strong history of supporting a variety of charities – to date over 4 million dollars has been raised, primarily through a variety of wine auctions around the country.

Merlot in patois (a French dialect) means Blackbird. The growing climate and soil types in the Oak Knoll District are somewhat similar to parts of Pomerol, France’s prominent Merlot growing region. And all their wines have proprietary names, and a quote is associated with each wine and written on the back labels. Some of the names or the quotes are taken from well-known songs or associated with musicians.

The first vintage of Blackbird Vineyards was in 2003 but this was merely 90 cases as most of the grapes at that time were still being sold to other wineries. Sarah Gott made the first few vintages; well-regarded winemaker and raconteur Aaron Pott has made every vintage since 2006. For reference, all the staff at Blackbird Vineyards simply refer to Aaron as AP. Aaron’s style of wines strikes a well-balanced approach between fruit, acidity, and structure. These are wines that showcase expressive aromatics both as a result of premium grapes but also winemaking techniques (including stabulation), and they hold their aromatics well even over time. They are crafted to enjoy young, but they are also built to age.

Production focuses on proprietary red wine blends every year along with a rosé blend (this tends to sell out quickly) and a white wine blend. Blackbird does not produce single varietal wines. All of their red wines contain at least some Merlot and all are fermented with indigenous yeast and are not fined or filtered prior to bottling. Blackbird sources from a diversity of both valley floor and hillside vineyards; as of our latest update to this review some of their source vineyards are Hudson in Carneros, Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak, Star Vineyard in Rutherford, Crocker & Starr in St. Helena and in Knights Valley in Sonoma County to the north.

Select Wines
Dissonance is the only white wine currently produced; the name refers to a musical lack of harmony. The 2021 Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance is a blend of 84% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon sourced from Knights Valley in neighboring Sonoma County. Its characteristics both on the bouquet and the palate are actually opposite of the wine’s namesake, as these two varieties blend harmoniously together. This Sauvignon Blanc strikes a pleasing balance between the overtly green and grassy characteristics of cooler weather sites and more tropical notes of riper bottlings. This wine is pale straw in color; the bouquet offers aromas of lemongrass, citrus blossom, a lemon/lime zest and a subtle hint of juniper berry. This wine’s slightly creamy texture balances nicely with its mineralities and its acidity. It is richly flavored including of pear, apple and a touch of grapefruit. The fruit-filled finish is bright and long lasting.

The 2015 Blackbird Vineyards Dissonance Sauvignon Blanc does not have any grassy or green aromatic notes. Rather the nose shows notes of pear, honeysuckle and peach. It offers somewhat tropical floral notes as well. Aptly and simply described, the palate is delicious; it is balanced with a richness of fruit tempered by bright acidity. This wine offers decent weight for being 100% varietal. A subtle minerality component complements the finish.

The 2021 Blackbird Vineyards Arriviste is a saignée made rosé (bleeding off the juice after a short contact with the seeds and skins) from the following varieties: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 21% Zinfandel from 130+ year old own-rooted vines in Contra Costa County, 7% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. This wine is dark salmon in color; it is a thoughtfully made rosé with plenty of character, both on the bouquet and palate. The aromatics initially show notes of dried orange peel and a rose petal characteristic. But let the wine open and its aromas will really shine, offering scents of citrus blossom, dark raspberry and a hint of rhubarb. This wine holds its aromatics very well even after it has had plenty of time to open. It offers flavors of lemon/lime, wild strawberry and grapefruit. The finish is clean and supple in its textural feel. For best results, we recommend enjoying this bottling after drinking heavier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons.

The 2019 Blackbird Vineyards Arise is a blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 8% Syrah and 5% Petit Verdot. One notices the label is different then the other Blackbird bottlings, with birds perched strategically on what appears to be a clothesline. But there is a much more clever meaning to their configuration which can be explained by their host when tasting this wine at their winery. This wine is dark ruby in color; the bouquet is very expressive with aromas of blackberry, boysenberry, mocha, cocoa powder and some tobacco spice. The aromatics focus more on primary fruit characteristics rather than secondary. The palate offers a pleasing tension between flavor and texture; with flavors of plum, blackberry, toasted cedar and a lingering note of tobacco spice. This is an easy wine to drink and its personality favors consumption sooner rather than later; the tannins are nicely rounded and resolved in its youth.

Invariably with even a little bit of time spent in Napa Valley, one will hear about Napa’s “cult Cabernet” wineries, however one never hears about a Napa cult Merlot, but if there was one, Blackbird would probably be the closest fit. During our first visit to the original Blackbird Vineyard in Oak Knoll, we tried the 2004 and 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Merlot; both wines were unfined and unfiltered. The 2004 Blackbird Vineyards Merlot is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a dark wine with a bright lively fruit on the nose and a palate full of ripe cherry and blackberries with touches of mocha and chocolate. The finish is long and smooth. The 2005 Blackbird Vineyards Merlot includes a nearly identical blend, displays a deeper rich earthy aromatic profile with again a diversity of fruit flavors including plum and blueberry. It is a very well-balanced wine with nice character on the finish.

The 2019 Blackbird Vineyards Illustration is dark ruby and somewhat purplish in the glass – this wine is the definition of opaque. It is a Merlot dominated blend (81%) along with 15% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. The aromatics are initially a bit brooding and remain dark in character, showing scents of plum and dark licorice along with espresso and mocha. The palate is equally as dark-fruited offering flavors of plum and dark cherry. The finish is juicy, anchored by long lasting silty, somewhat gravelly textured tannins along with a dried tobacco leaf and dust component.

The 2019 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour is a blend of 63% Cabernet Franc, 23% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. Those who know Aaron, know his love for Cabernet Franc. This wine is purple, dark ruby and opaque; one can easily get lost in the dark and deeply-layered aromatics. The bouquet offers dark fruit including blackberry, with oak as a noticeable but integrated complement. It offers additional scents of chocolate and a sweet tobacco spice. Its aromatics are exhilarating. The wine carries plenty of depth on the palate both from flavor and texture. The finish continues to persist for quite some time with gravelly textured tannins outpacing the fruit.

The 2013 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour is a blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 34% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. The darkness of color complements the density of structure on the palate. Savory aromas show including mostly darker fruits including blueberry and blackberry, which are also complemented by floral notes. The tannins are sediment like, dark, brooding, complex and long lasting. This wine is well layered both in flavor and in the tannin textural profile.

The 2019 Blackbird Vineyards Contrarian is 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. This wine is inky dark ruby and purple in the glass and definitely opaque. The aromatics delivers plenty of Napa Valley sunshine and Cabernet Sauvignon varietal characteristics including of blackberry, boysenberry, ripe plum, chocolate, sweet tobacco spice and some cedar undertones. The palate offers flavors of black currant, dark cherry and a variety of dessert spices. The tannins in this Cabernet Sauvignon dominated wine show a noticeable grip, but like all the Blackbird Vineyards red wines, are still integrated nicely, lingering with a dusty and gravelly textural feel.

As a unique one-time offering, in 2009 Blackbird Vineyards partnered with Grammy^TM Award-winning artist Martina McBride to produce a “signature series” Napa wine. Each bottle had Martina’s stamped autograph and was offered exclusively to members of her own fan club. Martina first tasted Blackbird’s wines while touring Napa Valley.

Hospitality
Blackbird Vineyards hosts guests at their tasting lounge and winery (the Nest) in a business park located about a 10-minute drive south of downtown Napa. Note that the main entrance is on the side of the building facing Highway 221. Guests who make reservations can request favorite songs or genres of music to be played during their visit to the winery. Try to throw them some curveballs. Through a collaboration with the ÆRENA Galleries, the Nest space is decorated with variety of art and visually intriguing furnishings, all of which are for sale. And unlike most tasting spaces located in Napa business parks there is actually a view of a vineyard on the other side of Highway 221.

A tasting here is unscripted, educational, fun and perhaps a little geeky. You know your seriously in good hands when the pen holder is a cut in half bottle of 1964 Dom Perignon. Guests are tasted on a couple of lighter style wines, then offered a chance to walk through the winery, returning to The Nest to finish tasting the rest of the red wines. There is an axiom in the wine industry that it takes a lot of beer to make great wine. During our visit, host Aaron Horwitz informed us at Blackbird Vineyards it takes a lot of great Riesling and Burgundy wines to make great Napa Valley wines.

And guests can play the ‘chair game’, guessing the cost of each of the sofas for sale based on their comfort level and visual appeal.

The Black Lab
The impressive winemaking headquarters of Aaron Pott’s operations are also housed here including production for Blackbird Vineyards and a number of other brands that Aaron makes wine for. This is a state of the art winery; all tanks are hooked up to their own pumps, each tank can be controlled remotely and several high-tech presses are used during harvest. One aspect of the winery immediately evident from a walk-through is its overall cleanliness.

Aaron was one of the early contemporary Napa Valley winemakers to use amphorae in his winemaking; the use of these clay vessels are an integral part of their operations for some of the wines produced and over the years Aaron has amassed a sizable collection; these are housed in the Black Lab. These distinctive amphoras are manufactured by the Manetti family, owners of Manetti Gusmano & Figli furnace in Tuscany.

The family has worked with clay for 8 generations and are responsible for providing the tiles in the restoration of the floor of the Duomo and the Botticelli room in the Uffizi Gallery (both located in Florence). Making these vessels is a lesson in patience combined with exacting knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Each vessel (they can be produced in different sizes) takes up to 4 months for one person to create by hand, with the clay slowly added. It is a grey color prior to its ‘firing’ in their large oven, at which point it takes a reddish brown color. Only a very limited number of these are produced each year (usually 100-110). Aaron began working with one of these vessels for a wine for one of his clients, Perliss Estate.

A wastewater system is located directly outside the winery, processing waste water and sludge which is then hauled away and used as fertilizer. And a bonus of their location is they are hooked up to the same power grid that serves nearby Napa Valley College and Napa County EMS Agency so theoretically they should have power even during outages.

The wines are distributed in at premium retail outlets and restaurants in parts of the UK through London based importer The Wine Treasury. Interested individuals can join the flock in their appropriately named, Frequent Flyer loyalty program; this is not a wine club with pre-scheduled shipments but rather provides access to any of their wines when they are released. Higher spend amounts provide priority access to certain wines and or other perks. For more information or to schedule an appointment for a tasting, visit: www.blackbirdvineyards.com

Original Blackbird Vineyards, Oak Knoll

RiverHouse by Bespoke Collection (Permanently closed)
This tasting space closed in December 2021. We keep our notes and photographs here for historical reference.

Several tasting experiences were offered at the RiverHouse (where wine was paired with art) including the Portfolio Tasting which included the current releases of Blackbird Wines and the Bento Box tasting, a Bento Box lunch prepared by their culinary neighbor, Morimoto Napa. This was paired with the current releases of the Blackbird wines. And a number of other exclusive experiences were offered including a flight, yacht tour and customized activities using the expertise of their concierge staff.

The RiverHouse opened in September 2016 along the Napa Riverfront Walk just off of Main Street (almost directly behind the Napa Valley Welcome Center). Tastings were originally conducted inside but later tastings were offered on the walkway directly outside.