Petite Sirah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petit Verdot

Food pairings: Roast or grilled lamb, braised short ribs, grilled steaks and other hearty meats that can stand up to a full-bodied red.

Winemaking: Fruit is picked at optimum ripeness and every vineyard lot is kept separate from harvest until final blending. Each lot typically begins with a deep cold soak (cryoextraction) to draw color and phenolics from the skins, followed by cold, long fermentations and an extended maceration to soften the tannins, before aging in French oak barrels. In the blend, Petite Sirah adds spice and complexity, Merlot a round mouthfeel and soft tannins, Zinfandel a vibrant fruit core, and Petit Verdot structure and color.

Vineyards and terroir: The Fabric of the Land draws on the diversity of grapes grown across the Napa Valley AVA, from Oak Knoll in the south to Calistoga in the north. Most of the fruit comes from the valley floor, with grapes from the foot-slopes adding texture and grip, and the patchwork of sites yields a wine of real concentration of flavor, color and texture.

Family and history: Quilt is the Napa Valley project of fifth-generation Napa winemaker Joe Wagner, who began working alongside his father at Caymus Vineyards at 19 and in 2001 founded Belle Glos. Like a quilt stitched from many pieces, the wines blend fruit from several Napa Valley sub-regions to capture the classic structure of the valley with consistent style from vintage to vintage.

In the pictures: Winemaker Joe Wagner at the Quilt tasting room; Napa Valley vineyards with a hot-air balloon overhead; and vineyard rows on the Napa Valley floor (photos courtesy of Quilt Wines).