Lerner Project. The singular element that strikes one immediately upon arriving at Armstrong Ranch (the home estate for Lerner Project) is its profound silence. In this regard, its remote location is its most coveted asset. Yes this is in the Napa Valley, but this is a slice of the valley that few visitors ever see. Access is either from Sonoma County on a rare still partially dirt road or from Napa County up several miles on the very narrow Kortum Canyon Road which quickly rises from the valley floor – elevating one to exceptional and intimate views of the surrounding hillsides, Mt. St Helena and the valley far below. Like on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas mountains are rugged and steep.
The property is 91 acres of which 13 acres are planted almost entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon (clone 6) along with a tiny block of Malbec. There aren’t many vineyards in this part of the Napa Valley – their nearest neighbor is a vineyard that produces fruit which goes into the Beringer Private Reserve. And there are no wineries here and very few homes – rather the landscape is primarily forested and scrub land in all directions.
The vines were planted in 1983 by winegrower Dick Steltzner and in places are growing on very steep slopes, up to a 45 degree grade. The upper parts of the property are about 1,200 feet in elevation but feel much higher. Sections of the vineyard are terraced. The 13 acres features a wide variety of slope, elevation gain and a diversity of soil types including volcanic ash, obsidian and diatomaceous earth. The property benefits from its elevated site and eastern facing slopes for the early morning sunshine – the fog in the valley below often burns off in the summer by mid morning. And very common during the growing season is the afternoon breezes blowing in from Sonoma County to the west.
Previously the property was owned by Jane (Janie) Armstrong (died in 2019) and her husband Tom Byrne. Jane was a dietician who built a highly successful career including her role in nutritional labeling on grocery store products and an easy to understand open dating on various dairy products. She was also an accomplished chef. They purchased this property in 1979 – at the time it was not planted to grapes – they developed the vineyard well before the Napa County ordinance prohibited planting on steep slopes. Over the years grapes from the property have gone to Rombauer, Provenance and St. Clement and were at times bottled as vineyard designate wines. And wines were produced under the Armstrong Ranch label for a number of years.
Jane and Tom sold the property in 2017 to proprietors of Lerner Project, Stu and Karen Lerner. Winemaker Russell Bevan is a partner in Lerner Project but not in the property as is Matt Simpson (formerly the Director of Operations at Chateau Boswell).
Stu has enjoyed a productive and long career in the wine business providing wooden shipping pallet’s to the wine industry for over 30 years in both Napa and Sonoma County. Over the years he founded several pallet or related companies including in 1987, L&M Pallet (which he partnered with Karen’s father, Donald Meneghetti – simply choosing a name that reflected the first initials of each of their last names) and later Blue Chip Manufacturing. Stu retired from the pallet business in 2014. Through his work in the industry and introduction to numerous wineries and brands through pallet sales, he became a collector of fine wine. And he also met numerous winemakers including Russell Bevan.
When the Armstrong Ranch came on the market, Chris Walden, the owner of Vinedresser Vineyard Management told Russell about the site. Russell then mentioned the property to Stu and Karen. The three walked the property for the first time together – during their visit, Russell said something like, “if you guys don’t buy this, I will!”
Russell has a led a varied life – he earned his Masters in Philosophy from Gonzaga University, worked in Minneapolis selling dental equipment, wrote a syndicated column which was published in the Wine Spectator and then became a self-taught winemaker with his first vintage in 2005. Russell has worked with a number of iconic Napa Valley based vineyards over his career, getting his start with Kal Showket (who used to own Showket Vineyards in Oakville before selling to Peter Michael). Russell identifies a select group of winemakers who he has been influenced by including Napa Valley’s long time winemaker, Philip Togni.
Select Wines
Whites
The 2022 Lerner Project Sauvignon Blanc, Moaveni Vineyard Sonoma County (100% varietal) is medium straw in color; the bouquet offers aromas of honeycomb, citrus blossoms, apricot, baked apples, yellow nectarines, honeydew melon and a flinty character. And there is a very light herbal note of kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass. Richly flavored, the minerally palate offers flavors of orchard fruits including, apricot and nectarine, accompanied by pear, golden delicious apple, lime and cantaloupe. It is bright from the entry through the finish and lingers with a refreshing acidity. Balanced perfectly between fruit, texture and acidity, the mouth feel sports a light fleshy attribute. Finishes lively and flavorful. Bright flavorful finish. This is a Sauvignon Blanc highly worth seeking out.
The 2021 Lerner Project Chardonnay, Five Wells Vineyard Mendocino County was a one off wine produced as a result of opportunity. Bevan had access to an extra ton of Chardonnay grapes this year and offered to produce the first and only Lerner Project Chardonnay to date. This wine is deep gold in color; its sports aromas of crème brûlée, caramel, honeycomb, and ripe pineapple. On the palate there are flavors of baked pineapple, golden delicious apple, apricot, peaches, ripe pear, yellow nectarines, warm honey, melted butter and a hint of paprika on the finish. Rich and intensely flavored – this memorable wine showcases a remarkably long finish. And it features a rich and mouthwatering acidity. Anyone a part of the ABC movement, (anything but Chardonnay), who tries this wine most likely will discover that they enjoy ‘some’ Chardonnays. We wish they would produce this every year.
Reds
The 2019 Lerner Project Armstrong Ranch Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby and opaque; the elegant bouquet offers dark florals including violets and lavender with loads of accompanying fruit including dark raspberry, plum, cherry, blackberries and Persian mulberries and old cedar box. And a layer of dark chocolate, cinnamon stick and a note of honeycomb. As the wine opens a prominent sweetly fruited aromatic thread shows including of blackberry preserves. The palate reveals flavors of blackberry, mulberry, and dark cherry, finishing with notes of toasted cedar and chocolate. Bright and balanced, the gravelly and firmly textured tannins linger beyond the fruit on the drying finish. This wine is built to impress and would lead the conversation if paired blind against other Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings from the same vintage.
The 2021 Lerner Project Armstrong Ranch Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby and opaque; the nose reveals aromas of dark raspberry, cocoa powder, mocha, a light scent of anise, cherry and bitter sweet chocolate. For a 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in particular, this wine is remarkably balanced in its youth. Brightly lit on the palate there are flavors of dark plum, mulberry, blackberry and dark cherry. The tannins are are lightly grainy and already well integrated into the finish in its youth. For reference, we tried this wine three years post vintage and it is already highly drinkable but with all the characteristics to age for several decades. This wine is produced through barrel selection; about halfway through its aging the Lerner Project team (winemaking and non winemaking) taste through all barrels and the team picks out their favorite selections. However, this wine is produced only from barrels the team unanimously agrees upon.
The 2018 Lerner Project, Project 18 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Merlot. This is the most produced wine in their portfolio, a barrel selection of fruit sources from two of Russell’s favorite vineyard sites including Tench Vineyards in Oakville and Sugarloaf. Offers darker, slightly brooding aromatics with notes of clove, mocha, cedar box and chocolate. Becomes a bit more savory as the wine breathes. Also aromas of dried rose petal and violets. Bright fruit shows across the palate. Lingers with both red and darker cherry flavors and this wines’ hallmark, its dusty fine chalk-like tannins. A very ‘crowd’ friendly wine.
Lerner Project produced a Tench Vineyard designate Cabernet Sauvignon until 2021. And they also produced a Houyi Vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon for several years until the Houyi Vineyard sold to Realm Cellars.
The 2017 Lerner Project RMS (takes its name from the initials of the founders, Russell, Matt and Stu) is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. Matt initially introduced Stu to his real estate agent, Stacey who sold him Armstrong Ranch; he wanted to honor Matt’s contribution by producing a wine specific to his palate. This wine is dark purple in the glass; immediately shows a sweetness of berry fruit including boysenberry and blackberry complemented with dessert spices and subtle hints of dried tobacco leaf. Well layered across the palate – provides plenty of pleasure for even the most discerning of Napa Valley wine enthusiasts and is a style of wine that followers of Bevan will gravitate towards. The tannins are mature for such a young wine; they roll over the palate carefully and gently with a light but firm grip. Also notes of dust and hints of mocha rounding out the finish.
Matt has since retired from the wine business. Subsequently the last vintage of RMS was in 2018. However in 2024, RMS transitioned to RKS, with the S replaced by K, honoring Karen.
The 2017 Lerner Project Armstrong Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain is 100% varietal. While this wine shows the unmistakable characteristic ripeness of the Napa Valley (versus say cooler climate regions), one can still smell the Cabernet Sauvignon elements that are representative of this variety. Offers aromas of dust, a slight herbal note, hints of dried tobacco leaf and plenty of unwavering darker fruit aromatics. On the palate shows a richness but retains a freshness of acidity. Its grasp on the finish is classic Bevan-like style with a gentle integrated texture but with some noticeable grip, like a firm but non aggressive handshake from a friend. Very long finish. Noteworthy is its balance in its youth – this won’t go away. There is plenty of age ahead of this beautiful showing.
The 2019 Lerner Project Oakville, Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby and nearly opaque. The bouquet is a union of dark fruits and barrel influences, including scents of blackberry, dark plum, dark chocolate, espresso, cocoa powder and cedar box. One immediately notes its balance and remarkable textural softness. For reference, we tasted this wine 5 years post vintage. On the palate there are flavors of blackberry, Pakistani mulberry, Coral cherry at the peak of its ripeness and dark chocolate. The tannins are well tumbled and at this age offer a lightly grainy texture.
The 2019 Lerner Project Sugarloaf Ranch Red Blend is deep ruby and opaque in color; the nose offers immediate aromas of Graham cracker, cinnamon stick, caramel, milk chocolate and fruit including mulberry, dark cherry, blackberry. This wine is pure deliciousness on the palate with sweetly fruited flavors of blackberry, boysenberry preserves, and dark plum and a note of caramel and chocolate. The tannins are lightly grainy with a small savory component on finish. Both texture and fruit parallel each other on the extended and bright finish.
—
While there are only a few vintages produced so far under the Lerner Project – the vineyard part of this property has already proven itself. Estate Director, Brigid Babb tasted a 2003 Armstrong Ranch vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon some 17 years after the vintage date and recalled the bright still lively fruit, a freshness preserved by the wine’s acidity.
And Stu clearly sums up his goals with Lerner Project, “I want to create something that consistently gets better, that’s why its the project.” ~ Stu Lerner.
Their white label wines are vineyard and varietal blends – these wines see some distribution. The black label are wines that are vineyard designates and are generally sold direct to consumer. Locally one can sometimes find select Lerner Project wines at ACME Wine Shop in St. Helena and at K. Laz in Yountville. Their first vintage was in 2016; it has grown since the approximately 1,000 cases that year to now around 1,800 cases annually. For more information or to register for their allocation list, please visit: www.lernerproject.com
VintEdge Winery
In November 2020, ground was broken just south of the city of Napa for VintEdge, a custom crush winery. A small amount of wine was made here in 2021 with their first harvest for clients occurring in 2022. This state of the art winery houses a number of premium wine brands and is used by several notable winemakers for their clients (or their own brands) including Russell Bevan, Thomas Rivers Brown and Mike Smith.
Stu is a partner in this winery with Jack Morris, founder of Jack Morris Construction and currently the president and CEO of Edgewood Properties Inc. Morris’s own Napa Valley wine brand is Napa Jack which is available at VintEdge Wine Bar & Lounge and the connecting VintEdge Wine & Spirits in Somerville, New Jersey. He also has wines produced under the Morris Family Cellars label and is partner with Stu in a kosher wine brand called KA·SHER.
The Lerner Project wines are produced at VintEdge Winery. This winery was designed around functionality, plenty of space, cleanliness, ease of operations and high tech with design input from numerous individuals including Stu, who implemented some of the best features from wineries he has visited in his career, winemaking practices from Russell Bevan and other winemakers and Andy Ryan of Ryan Mobile Bottling.
Hospitality space under construction
One is immediately impressed by the sheer amount of stainless steel contained inside – a visual that includes three primary catwalks serving 60 stainless steel tanks of differing sizes – all equipped with their own pumps and Pulsair Systems with the tank monitoring hardware and software serviced by TankNet of Acrolon Technologies, Inc. InnoVint provides overall management software. All the physical winemaking equipment was purchased new.
Large bays were designed with mobile bottling trucks in mind. They pull in to the rear of the winery and several bay doors open allowing for ease of access and setup. VintEdge owns a number of large generators to run their operations during loss of power. And located in the rear of the building is their winery water treatment system with the resulting water sent to NapaSan.
Office and meeting spaces and a two-level hospitality section are available for clients who make their wine here to host guests (opening in late 2024 or early 2025).
Leave a Reply