MATTHIASSON

Matthiasson is one of the defining producers of modern, progressive Napa Valley wine, founded in 2003 by Steve and Jill Matthiasson. Rather than pursuing the powerful, highly ripe style often associated with Napa, the family built Matthiasson around freshness, moderate alcohol, food compatibility and transparent expression of vineyard and variety. The winery remains independently owned, with no outside partners or investors.

Agriculture sits at the heart of the estate. Steve and Jill met through their work and studies in sustainable agriculture at UC Davis, long before establishing their own winery. Jill's background includes agricultural research and advocacy around cover crops, reduced pesticide use and sustainable farming, while Steve developed an influential career as a viticulturist. Their experience shaped Matthiasson from the beginning: wine is treated as an extension of farming rather than as a product created primarily in the cellar.

That philosophy is symbolised by the pair of pruning shears on the Matthiasson label. For Steve and Jill, pruning represents the hands-on relationship between farmer and vine and the continuous cycle connecting previous vintages with the seasons ahead. Every vine is approached individually, from spring vineyard work through harvest.

Today Matthiasson is particularly recognised for its commitment to regenerative organic viticulture. Its farming focuses on living soils, diverse cover crops, biodiversity and habitat, water conservation, carbon reduction and social responsibility. The winery operates using 100% renewable power and has invested in fully electric tractors, while its own key vineyard sites—including Phoenix, Matthiasson, Linda Vista and Bengier—are certified organic.

The estate's home Matthiasson Vineyard in western Oak Knoll demonstrates the adventurous side of the project. Rather than being planted exclusively to Napa's conventional varieties, it includes Refosco, Cabernet Franc, Ribolla Gialla, Merlot, Tocai Friulano, Petit Verdot and Schioppettino. Alluvial soils from nearby Dry Creek are complemented by fruit trees and flowering plants designed to create habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife.

This fascination with northeastern Italian varieties has become one of Matthiasson's signatures. After visiting Friuli in 2005, Steve returned to Napa inspired by the region's indigenous grapes. Ribolla Gialla and Refosco were subsequently planted at the home vineyard, followed by the exceptionally rare Schioppettino. These varieties are not treated simply as curiosities; they form an important part of Matthiasson's exploration of how Napa Valley can express grapes beyond Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ribolla Gialla has an especially important place in the Matthiasson story. Steve began overseeing what is now the Bengier Vineyard in 2002, after George Vare had obtained Ribolla budwood from legendary Friulian producer Josko Gravner and grafted it into the vineyard. The site's cool, foggy position near the mouth of Dry Creek Canyon and rocky fluvial soils proved particularly well suited to the variety.

Matthiasson's interpretation of classic Napa varieties is equally distinctive. Cabernet Sauvignon remains central to the estate, but the objective is balance rather than maximum concentration. The wines emphasise freshness, aromatic detail, fine structure and moderate alcohol, presenting a more restrained interpretation of Napa Cabernet without sacrificing depth or ageing potential. The current portfolio continues to include Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon alongside Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

For Chardonnay, the Linda Vista Vineyard is particularly important. Located in western Oak Knoll close to Steve and Jill's home, it was planted in 1989. Its volcanic and ancient marine-influenced soils, morning fog and cooling breezes help produce Chardonnay combining ripe fruit with acidity and mineral structure. The vineyard is certified organic.

The broader range demonstrates just how far Matthiasson extends beyond conventional Napa expectations. Current and recent releases encompass Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco, Schioppettino and Pinot Meunier, alongside wines from sites beyond Napa planted to varieties such as Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignan and Lagrein.

Winemaking follows the farming philosophy. There is deliberately no fixed recipe. Depending on the fruit, grapes may be destemmed or fermented as whole clusters, crushed or kept as whole berries, and handled through punch-downs or pump-overs. What remains consistent is the use of native yeast and no additives other than minimal sulphur dioxide.

Élevage is similarly tailored to individual wines. Matthiasson may employ barriques, larger puncheons, demi-muids or foudres depending on the desired development of texture and aromatics, and the estate notes that used barrels are employed in almost all cases. Oak is therefore generally a supporting element rather than the dominant flavour of the finished wine.

The result is a style characterised by vibrancy, lifted energy, moderate alcohol and vivid fruit, with wines designed fundamentally for the table. This approach helped position Matthiasson at the forefront of a broader movement toward fresher and more restrained California wines, while demonstrating that Napa Valley can produce serious wines without relying on extreme ripeness or extraction.

Matthiasson is therefore compelling because it represents both tradition and an alternative vision of Napa. Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay sit comfortably beside Ribolla Gialla, Refosco and Schioppettino; meticulous viticulture matters more than cellar manipulation; and regenerative organic agriculture is embedded in the identity of the winery rather than treated as a separate programme.

For drinkers interested in the evolution of contemporary California wine, Matthiasson has become an essential producer—combining Napa Valley terroir, regenerative farming, European-inspired restraint and an unusually adventurous collection of grape varieties within a distinctly Californian identity.

Shop Matthiasson wines online at Wine More Cellars Australia. Discover Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Ribolla Gialla, Refosco and other limited-production wines with Australia-wide shipping and free delivery on eligible orders over $199.