Wing Canyon Vineyard

Wing Canyon Vineyard was established by Bill and Kathy Jenkins after they purchased a 160 acre property in the Mount Veeder appellation of Napa Valley in 1982. The estate is named after Captain Stalham Wing, a pioneer who arrived in California in 1853 and is credited with planting the first recorded vineyards on Mount Veeder in the early 1860s. The Jenkins family spent several years clearing the remote, forested land by hand before planting their first vines in 1986. They produced their first commercial vintage in 1991, the same year they finished building their winery. The estate remains family owned and operated, with the owners residing on the property and personally handling every aspect of production from viticulture to hand labeling the bottles.

The vineyards are situated at elevations between 1,100 and 1,500 feet on the steep slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. The soil is primarily Felton gravelly loam, which combined with the high elevation and 20 percent average slopes, creates a challenging environment that results in low yields and high concentration. Farming practices are strictly organic and sustainable, utilizing dry farming techniques that force vines to grow deep root systems into the shale heavy soil. The winery building is constructed of rammed earth with walls two feet thick, providing a natural thermal mass that maintains stable, cool temperatures for the 100 French oak barrels stored inside. Winemaking involves small batch fermentations with manual punch downs twice daily and a focus on minimal intervention to preserve site character.

Wing Canyon is primarily recognized for its mountain grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, as well as its estate Chardonnay. The red wines are characterized by the firm tannins and structural intensity typical of Mount Veeder, while the Chardonnay is barrel fermented to achieve a specific weight and complexity. With an annual production that rarely exceeds 1,000 cases, the winery maintains a low profile and primarily distributes its output via a private mailing list and select local accounts. The producer has earned a reputation among collectors for its commitment to high altitude viticulture and its preservation of the historic viticultural legacy established on the property more than a century and a half ago.