Ladera Vineyards carries one of the longest histories in Howell Mountain viticulture. The property’s stone winery building dates to 1886, making it among the oldest wine structures still in active use in Napa Valley. When Pat and Anne Stotesbery purchased the estate in 2000, they inherited not just land and vines but a connection to the pre-Prohibition history of California mountain winemaking. Today the estate continues that tradition with Cabernet Sauvignon that reflects both the character of Howell Mountain and the depth of the site’s history.

A Property Rooted in Napa Valley History

The land that became Ladera Vineyards was first developed as a winery property in 1886, when early settlers quarried local stone and built what remains one of the most enduring wine structures in Napa Valley. The building survived Prohibition, several ownership changes, and more than a century of Howell Mountain weather. That kind of permanence does not happen by accident: it reflects the quality of the site itself.

Pat and Anne Stotesbery acquired the property in 2000 and set about restoring both the historic stone building and the vineyards that surround it. The Stotesbery family approach emphasizes stewardship: caring for something of value that was inherited and passing it on in better condition than it was found. That philosophy informs the viticulture, the winemaking, and the way the estate engages with visitors.

The Howell Mountain location, on White Cottage Road South in Angwin, places the vineyards in the heart of the appellation. The estate benefits from all the characteristics that distinguish Howell Mountain from other Napa sub-AVAs: elevation, volcanic soils, cool night temperatures, and the fog-free sunshine that drives full flavor development in the mountain vineyards.

The stone winery at Ladera dates to 1886, built by early Napa settlers who recognized Howell Mountain’s potential more than a century before the AVA was formally established.

Howell Mountain Estate and Lewelling Vineyard: Two Terroirs

Ladera sources its Cabernet Sauvignon from two distinct locations within Napa Valley. The estate vineyards on Howell Mountain provide the structural backbone of the Reserve Cabernet: firm tannins, concentrated dark fruit, volcanic mineral complexity, and the kind of natural acidity that supports decades of aging potential.

The Lewelling Vineyard in St. Helena on the valley floor represents a different terroir entirely. The deep, well-drained alluvial soils of the St. Helena benchlands produce Cabernet with richer mid-palate texture, rounder tannins, and more immediately expressive fruit than the mountain sites deliver. Lewelling has been a significant vineyard in Napa Valley winemaking for generations, and Ladera’s access to it provides a counterpoint to the mountain estate fruit.

For the Napa Valley Cabernet, the interplay between mountain structure and valley richness creates a wine with more complexity than either source alone would provide. The Howell Mountain Reserve, using only the estate’s mountain fruit, is the most austere and age-worthy wine in the lineup, demanding patience but rewarding it generously.

The Wines: Howell Mountain Reserve and Napa Valley Cabernet

The Howell Mountain Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship of the Ladera lineup. Made exclusively from the estate’s volcanic-soil mountain vineyards, it is one of the most serious wines produced under the Howell Mountain AVA designation. On release it shows deep garnet color, aromas of black cherry, cassis, graphite, and iron-rich mineral. The palate is full and structured, with tannins that are firm and well-knit rather than harsh. Cellaring for seven to ten years after release is strongly recommended.

The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon blends Howell Mountain estate fruit with Lewelling Vineyard in St. Helena, creating a more approachable but still substantial wine. The valley-floor component adds mid-palate richness and slightly rounder tannins without sacrificing the mountain character that defines the estate’s identity.

Both wines are produced in small quantities consistent with the estate’s boutique scale. The stone winery building, with its natural temperature regulation from the thick masonry walls, provides an ideal environment for barrel aging that is both historically appropriate and practically effective.

Food Pairings for Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

Ladera’s Howell Mountain Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is among the most structured wines in the Napa Valley portfolio, and its food pairing potential reflects that structure. The key chemistry is the relationship between tannins and proteins: tannins are polyphenolic compounds that bind readily to protein molecules. When you match a tannic wine with a protein-rich food, the tannins bind to the food’s proteins rather than to the proteins in your saliva, dramatically softening the perception of astringency and creating a more harmonious experience.

For the Reserve Cabernet, the optimal pairings are red meats with high protein and fat: a bone-in ribeye, a slow-braised beef short rib, or a rack of lamb with garlic and rosemary. The intramuscular fat in these cuts amplifies the tannin-softening effect while the wine’s acidity cuts through the richness of the meat, keeping each bite fresh and the pairing lively rather than heavy.

The Napa Valley Cabernet, with its broader palate from the Lewelling fruit, is more versatile at the table. It pairs well with roasted pork loin, duck breast with a fruit sauce, or a composed salad with aged cheese and walnuts. Aged hard cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyere work especially well with both wines, as the protein in aged cheese performs the same tannin-binding function as meat protein.

Ladera Vineyards: Frequently Asked Questions