ForeFront Wines

The Crimson Wine Group released three new wines christened ForeFront during the 2009 harvest consisting of sister wineries Pine Ridge Vineyards, Chamisal Vineyards and Archery Summit. The wines are inspired by the spirit of wine industry pioneer Gary Andrus, who along with his wife Nancy, established Pine Ridge Vineyards in 1978 in the Stags Leap region of Napa Valley, as well as Archery Summit Vineyards in the Willamette Valley in 1993. The Andruses were among the first to encourage tight vine spacing in the vineyard, implement gravity flow in the cellar, and hire a female winemaker in the 1970s.

The three wines include a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the 225 estate acres of Pine Ridge in Napa blended with Syrah from El Dorado and Edna Valley. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is blend of fruit from the Dry Creek Valley and Napa. The 2008 Pinot Noir is sourced from the Willamette Valley, primarily the Dundee Hills.

The winemaker is Michael Beaulac, who is at the home vineyard of Pinot Ridge. The wines were released in October, 2009 nationally. For more information and a video overview visit the website.