An aerial view of Theorem Vineyards' hillside estate, with intimate shots of a hummingbird among lavender, blooming flowers, and vines, followed by wine being poured and aging in oak barrels.
Beyond the Vines, a Story Unfolds
Join us where time slows, and truth is poured. Experience our Diamond Mountain estate in Calistoga, Napa Valley.
Wente Heritage Clone Chardonnay
Four small blocks of heritage clone Wente Chardonnay were already rooted on this mountain when we arrived. We didn't plant them. We inherited these old vines — and quickly understood why they were here.
The Wente family brought a cutting from Burgundy to the United States in 1912. On a mountain, Wente becomes something else entirely. The harsh conditions — volcanic soils, high altitude, punishing diurnal swings — stress the vine into producing tiny clusters with even tinier berries. Less juice. More of everything else.
The result is white wine for people who thought California Chardonnay was not their thing. High acid. Mineral. Bright. No butter. No oak. If you drink Sancerre, you'll understand this wine immediately. If you don't, this is the one to start with.
The Rhône on the Mountain
One of the first wines the Itkin family fell in love with was Châteauneuf-du-Pape — a wine of place, of complexity, of varieties grown together on sun-drenched, rocky soils. We aren't growing all thirteen Rhône varieties here. Not yet. But we are experimenting with three.
Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre have found a home on Moon Mountain's volcanic slopes — thriving in the same demanding conditions that push every other variety on this property to its fullest expression. It is a beginning. And we are paying very close attention to where it leads.
In the Cellar
Moon Mountain fruit arrives at the Theorem winery with a character distinct from Diamond Mountain — higher acidity, more structural tension, and a wildness that demands careful listening in the cellar. Winemaker Andy Jones, protégé of winemaking consultant Thomas Rivers Brown, approaches each variety from Moon Mountain as its own separate study — single-vineyard, single-varietal, faithful to the mountain that grew it.
- Soils: Clay Loam
- Planted Acres: 14 across 15 blocks
- Varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vines Planted: 2004 — 2023
- Elevation: 1,500-1,800 feet
The Moon Mountain District AVA in Sonoma Valley has a track record of producing exceptional wines — we are determined to elevate that reputation further with every vintage. The mountain is still speaking. We are paying close attention.