About Vineyard Journal
Vineyard Journal is an independent publication about the wines of Spring Mountain and Napa Valley, and about the long friendship between fine wine and the world's great casinos.
We write for curious drinkers and travellers rather than for the trade: how the mountain vineyards above St. Helena are farmed, what each grape brings, how small lots are made, how to read a vintage chart, what to eat with what, and how to plan a visit. Our Wine & Casinos pages follow wine where it meets the gaming tables, from Las Vegas wine lists and California's tribal casinos to auctions, futures and the odds behind blind tasting.
About this domain
The address lynchvineyards.com was once the website of Lynch Vineyards, a former small producer on lower Spring Mountain. Vineyard Journal is a separate, independent project. We have no connection with that business, its owners or its wines, and we do not sell wine.
Independence
We are not affiliated with any winery, vineyard, wine auction, retailer or casino. Producers, venues and organisations named in our articles are mentioned for information only, and their names and trademarks belong to their owners. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons contributors and are credited in each caption.
Accuracy
We check facts against published sources and give approximate figures where sources differ. Wine regions, restaurants and casinos change quickly, so please confirm details such as opening hours and appointments before you travel. If you spot an error, tell us and we will correct it.
The mountain pages
Spring Mountain District: A Guide to Napa's Red Mountain
The Spring Mountain District AVA rises above St. Helena on the Mayacamas slopes: about 8,600 acres, around 1,000 under vine, and some of Napa's most structured red wines.
Mountain Viticulture: Why Hillside Vines Make Intense Wine
Hillside vines on poor, rocky soil flower later, crop at one to two tons per acre and make darker, more structured wine. How mountain viticulture works in Napa.
Small-Lot Winemaking: Gravity, Barrels and a Few Hundred Cases
How small Napa producers make wine in lots of 100 to 300 cases: tons to cases, gravity-flow cellars, barrel choices, custom crush, and allocation lists that work like a lottery.
Visiting Napa Valley and St. Helena: A Practical Guide
How to plan a visit to Napa Valley and St. Helena: when to go, appointments, Highway 29 versus the Silverado Trail, Spring Mountain Road, and casinos within reach.
Photographs of the mountain and the valley are collected in the gallery.