Cade Estate Winery occupies a striking perch on Howell Mountain at 1,800 feet elevation, where the PlumpJack Group built Napa Valley’s first LEED Gold certified winery in 2005. Founded by the Gordon Getty and Gavin Newsom families through their PlumpJack wine enterprise, Cade pairs a commitment to environmental stewardship with an unwavering focus on mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Every bottle carries the imprint of both place and principle.

PlumpJack Group and the Birth of Cade

The PlumpJack Group entered the Napa Valley wine world in 1995 with PlumpJack Winery in Oakville, and by 2005 the team was ready to explore what Howell Mountain could offer. Cade was the result: a winery purpose-built to the highest environmental standards, constructed on the mountain with LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council.

This was not a retroactive certification added to an existing structure. The building was designed from the start with sustainability at its core, incorporating geothermal heating and cooling, solar power, water recirculation, and regionally sourced building materials. The result was the first new winery in Napa Valley to earn LEED Gold status, a milestone that signaled to the broader industry that world-class wine and environmental responsibility were not mutually exclusive.

The winery sources its estate fruit from certified organic vineyards on the Howell Mountain property, and the winemaking team has maintained that organic commitment across the estate’s two decades of operation.

At 1,800 feet, Cade sits in the heart of Howell Mountain AVA, where volcanic soils and cool mountain air produce Cabernet Sauvignon with dramatic structure and exceptional longevity.

Howell Mountain at 1,800 Feet: Terroir and Elevation

Cade’s vineyards occupy Howell Mountain at an elevation where volcanic soils dominate and the fog that fills Napa Valley below rarely reaches. This elevation creates growing conditions that are simultaneously more demanding and more rewarding than the valley floor. Cool nights preserve acidity. Intense daytime sunshine drives full phenolic development. Rocky, volcanic soils keep vines stressed in ways that concentrate flavors in each berry.

The estate Sauvignon Blanc is an unusual choice for Howell Mountain, where Cabernet reigns, but the elevation provides the cool temperatures that Sauvignon Blanc needs to retain vibrant aromatics and crisp acidity. The result is a white wine with a mountain character rarely seen in Napa Valley.

For the Cabernet Sauvignon, the volcanic terroir produces wines with pronounced mineral character alongside the expected dark fruit. The tannins are structured and firm on release, requiring bottle time to integrate, but the underlying fruit concentration ensures the wines reward patient cellaring. The Reserve Cabernet pushes this profile further, selecting only the finest estate blocks each vintage.

The Wines: Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Cabernet, Reserve Cabernet

Cade’s estate lineup leads with the Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine that defines the property. It is built with all the authority of the mountain: deep garnet color, aromas of blackcurrant, dark plum, volcanic mineral, and cedar. The palate is full, structured, with a firm tannic backbone that softens over years in the cellar. Organic viticulture keeps the flavors clean and precise.

The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon represents the finest selection from the estate, produced in limited quantities from the blocks that perform best each vintage. It offers greater concentration and longer aging potential than the Estate bottling, making it one of the more collectible wines from the Howell Mountain appellation.

The Estate Sauvignon Blanc surprises visitors who expect only red wines from this mountain address. Mountain-grown at elevation, it offers grapefruit, white peach, and a mineral edge that distinguishes it from the warmer Sauvignon Blancs produced on the valley floor or in Sonoma County. It is the ideal aperitif before moving into the mountain Cabernets.

Food Pairings for Cade Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Cade’s Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon has the tannin structure and concentration to stand up to the most robust food pairings. The science is straightforward: tannins are polyphenols that bind to proteins. When you pair a tannic wine with a protein-rich food, the tannins attach to the meat proteins rather than to the proteins in your saliva, which is what makes an unaccompanied tannic wine feel dry and gripping. The result of the pairing is a softer, more harmonious experience on both sides.

For the Estate Cabernet, the ideal partners are red meats with good fat content: a well-marbled ribeye, braised short ribs, or a rack of lamb with herb crust. The fat further softens the tannins while the wine’s acidity refreshes the palate between bites. Aged cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or a sharp aged cheddar work on the same protein-binding principle and make excellent cheese course pairings.

The Reserve Cabernet deserves equally serious food. Consider a whole roasted beef tenderloin, venison with a juniper berry sauce, or a classic Provencal lamb daube. The Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with grilled halibut, oysters on the half shell, or a light goat cheese salad that echoes the wine’s natural acidity.

Cade Estate Winery: Frequently Asked Questions