Our Winemaker
Heather at Harvest
Heather Pyle
Winemaker at Hagen Heights
Heather comes to us with a Masters Degree in Enology from U.C. Davis. She was the winemaker for Mondavi in the 1980’s and 1990’s when Mondavi was leading the world in creative winemaking in terms of both technology and methodology.
Heather's Thoughts on Winemaking
My approach to winemaking is traditional and applies a strong belief that wine is a living thing and that in order for the true expression of the place and variety to take center stage, the winemaker must act with restraint. Treating the wine as if it is alive means all gentle processes from hand harvesting to destemming with minimal breakage of the berries and a hands off rather than manipulative mind set. As in the great chateau of Bordeaux, I favor gentle rackings, or movements, to bring oxygen, and in the European way of thinking, life to the wine. Wines that are racked during the barrel cycle are also clarified during this process and generally require no filtration, which robs the wine of some of its original flavor and concentration. Judicious use of oxygen helps the wine become more complex, softer and more drinkable. A good understanding and collaboration on the farming of the fruit in the vineyard is essential followed by good and gentle cellar technique that include frequent toppings, monitoring SO2 to protect the wine but also allow the wine to live and evolve in the barrel and careful blending of barrels and varieties to make the perfectly balanced wine.
Estate Grown Fruit
Hagen Heights is first and foremost a perfectly located Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vineyard situated just east of the town of Napa. The cool but sunny climate in this, the Tulocay district, and unique “tufa” volcanic soils produce Cabernet Sauvignon wines of great finesse and complexity. Hagen Heights enjoys early to mid October harvests, a full month later than many Napa Valley Cabernet vineyards. This allows the skins of the grape to mature their tannins providing the mouthfilling properties of the tannins to reach their optimum full, firm and soft state. The acid within the grapes is dropping in the final stages of ripening also and the flavors are becoming more complex and concentrated rather than just simply fruity as they are early in the season. The Cabernet Sauvignon gains additional complexity by the use of two different clones in the vineyard, one more thick skinned and concentrated, the other more elegant and softer.
As a winemaker I value Hagen Heights’ fruit for its inherent balance, soft and supple nature and layers of complexity straight from the vineyard before I’ve even put my hands on the grapes.
Use of Oak
Oak is a complex tool that is often misused in winemaking. In my mind its value is in supporting the fruit flavors coming from the vineyard, not adding flavor. A wine with the proper use of oak barrels has had a subtle infusion of oxygen through the grain of the wood which enhances the fruit expression. French oak, and only barrels chosen from specific barrel makers, strikes the best balance for me of allowing the wine to evolve with complexity from oak without overshadowing the expression of the vineyard. American oak has a place too but we must be extra careful with it so that it doesn’t take over the wine. American oak, by nature of the climate of the forests it is grown in has a wider grain which makes more wood surface available to the wine, which in turn extracts more flavor and tannin into the wine. Used judiciously, American oak is a complexing agent. If overdone it can define the wine.
Aging Wine
Hagen Heights wines are made to be drinkable upon release. After bottling, the wine must rest for a period of months to collect itself again and show all the complexity and vineyard expression it had just before bottling. Bottle aging also softens the wine over time and we want to initiate this process for the consumer. Hagen Heights is carefully monitored in the bottle to be sure it is ready to release. This takes months, often as much as a year, but it is essential so that every consumer sees the wine at its best.
Over a period of years, Hagen Heights wines will continue to shine as the tannins continue to soften and combine to fill out the palate and the red fruit aromas diminish slightly to allow complex spice aromas to come forward and marry with the fruit. The wines are made to be released when they are at their best, most interesting and most intense but this is not a pinnacle, but rather a plateau that will last for many years. Because they were treated gently and not manipulated by additions and “treatments” these wines age gracefully and if anything gain power, finesse and balance over time.
