Napa, California (Aug. 23, 2017) – Acumen Wines, an Atlas Peak vineyard specializing in high-end Cabernet Sauvignon, has announced that its estate vineyard has been certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Acumen’s Edcora Vineyard, which lies at the edge of the Napa Valley’s Vaca mountain range on Atlas Peak, has been farmed organically since 2014. In order to become CCOF certified, a vineyard must be farmed using organic practices for a minimum of three years.
Acumen’s Edcora Vineyard is characterized by its notable elevation, ranging from 1,350 to 1,600 feet. Eighty-four acres of vineyard are planted on the property, which spans a total of 180 acres. Techniques implemented in the vineyard include the use of cover crops (non-tillage grasses) and compost to nourish the soil; in addition, soil beneath the vines is tilled in order to support the plants’ natural immune system, eliminating the need for quick-acting chemicals.
Acumen’s vineyard team is headed by Napa Valley veteran viticulturist Steve Matthiasson and Garrett Buckland, who comes from a family of local wine grape growers. Matthiasson emphasized that Acumen’s organic farming practices are based on the motto, “feed the soil, not the vines.”
“We’re very pleased to be certified organic by CCOF,” said Matthiasson. “Our goal at Acumen has always been to produce world-class wines, and organic farming in our vineyards has played a major role in crafting wines of the highest quality.” Moving forward, Acumen’s PEAK series of wines and its Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon will be made from organic grapes, which will be indicated on the labels.
Acumen was founded in 2012 when Eric Yuan and his family acquired a prized 32-acre vineyard on Atlas Peak from Dr. Jan Krupp of Stagecoach Vineyard fame. In searching for a vineyard that could produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, they hired winery management executive Steven Rea and his team of wine industry veterans, including viticulturists Steve Matthiasson and Garrett Buckland and winemaker Denis Malbec (who died tragically in 2015) to seek out an ideal site in the Napa Valley. They considered a number of top Napa Valley vineyards before settling on Krupp’s property in the rugged Atlas Peak AVA in the Vaca Mountains of eastern Napa Valley. A second, 84-acre vineyard, just a half mile up the road, was acquired in 2013.
