Vineyard 7 & 8

Vineyard 7 and 8 is a Spring Mountain estate named for the two original vineyard blocks that form the core of the property, producing Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay of mountain precision crafted by Luc Morlet, one of the most talented Burgundy-trained winemakers working in California. Founded in 1999 by Launny and Wesley Steffens, the estate occupies 34 acres of steep, terraced hillside at elevations reaching 1,800 feet, where the combination of volcanic soils, intense sunlight, and cooling mountain breezes creates conditions ideally suited to both red and white Bordeaux and Burgundian varieties.

The 34-acre vineyard is divided into multiple blocks, with Vineyard 7 and Vineyard 8 providing the estate's most concentrated fruit. The mountain terrain requires hand-farming on steep slopes, with each block managed individually according to its specific soil type and exposure. The volcanic soils are thin and rocky, forcing vine roots deep into the fractured substrate and naturally limiting yields. The mountain elevation provides the wide diurnal temperature swings that produce grapes of deep color, concentrated flavor, and natural acidity.

Luc Morlet, who trained in Burgundy and has made wine at several prestigious Napa estates, crafts the wines with a precision that reflects his dual heritage. The Cabernet Sauvignon is structured and mineral, with the dark fruit and firm tannins of mountain-grown fruit polished by French-trained winemaking sensibility. The Chardonnay, unusual from a Spring Mountain estate, is produced in a Burgundian style: barrel-fermented, lees-aged, and bottled with the mineral tension that mountain fruit naturally provides. Both wines are produced in small quantities and available primarily through the mailing list.

Tastings are by appointment only, with visitors hosted on the mountain estate for an experience that includes vineyard views and a seated tasting of the current portfolio. The mountain setting, the quality of the wines, and Luc Morlet's French winemaking perspective combine to create one of the most refined tasting experiences on Spring Mountain. The $95 fee reflects the quality of the wines and the exclusivity of the location.

Vineyard 7 and 8 demonstrates that Spring Mountain's potential extends beyond Cabernet Sauvignon to include world-class Chardonnay, a variety rarely associated with Napa's mountain appellations. Luc Morlet's Burgundian training allows him to see possibilities in the mountain terroir that Napa-trained winemakers might overlook, and the result is a portfolio that expands the definition of what Spring Mountain can produce.