Grenache Blanc

Food pairings: Triple-cream cheeses and spicy dishes.

Winemaking: The wine was fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel drums and tanks at a cool 60°F. The lees were then stirred twice a month for seven months.

Vineyards and terroir: The grapes come from Somerston Estate, high on the eastern hills of the Vaca Mountains above St. Helena in Napa Valley. Vineyards here range from about 800 to more than 1,600 feet in elevation, and the estate's varied elevations, exposures, soils and microclimates are farmed in many distinct blocks. Grenache Blanc is one of the uncommon varieties the estate grows alongside its Cabernet Sauvignon.

Family and history: Priest Ranch is a historic Napa Valley property first established in 1869 by James Joshua Priest, a Gold Rush prospector and one of the area's original settlers. Somerston Estate acquired much of the original ranch in 2004, and the modern Priest Ranch story began in 2007 with the first vintages crafted by founding winemaker and co-founder Craig Becker. The winery and tasting room at Somerston Estate were completed in 2011, and Priest Ranch also welcomes guests at its tasting room in Yountville. Today winemaker Cody Hurd carries on the standards Becker set.

In the pictures: An aerial view of Somerston Estate in the Vaca Mountains; hillside vineyards on the estate; and white grapes at harvest (photos courtesy of Priest Ranch / Somerston Estate).