DANA’s Director of Winemaking, Maura Johnson, guides the slow journey from vineyard to bottle in collaboration with renowned winemaking consultant Philippe Melka, who has worked with DANA Estates since the inaugural vintage. Together, DANA’s winemakers bring philosophy into action — working always to enhance the natural essence of every site. Rather than imposing a particular characteristic or house style, our winemaking strives to highlight the purity of the land itself.
All of DANA Estates’ vineyards are farmed organically for optimal vine health. After meticulously timed harvest dates that capture every cluster at its peak, our winemaking team vinifies the free run juice from each site according to its character.
Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ferments in concrete tanks to underscore the site’s natural minerality and round off the edges of its powerful tannins. Helms Vineyard Cabernet ferments in upright Taransaud oak tanks, which help to coax out the site’s floral character, bolster the tannic structure, and enhance the dustiness of Rutherford. With fruit from the varied soils and slopes of Hershey Vineyard, single-barrel fermentation allows us to tend each lot according to its needs. Our newest Cabernet addition, Montagna Vineyard, ferments utilizing a blend of concrete and single barrel ferments, highlighting the structured tannins and unique fruit profile while enhancing the vineyard’s complex mineral notes. DANA Sauvignon Blanc ferments in cigar-shaped barrels, a technique borrowed from Sancerre winemaking, to enhance the wine’s texture and finesse.
As a Buddhist, DANA’s proprietor believes that every detail has a lasting impact — and no aspect of winemaking can go unconsidered. Only the best barrels are chosen for DANA each vintage, producing only a few dozen in total per year.