Rooted in The Past, Built for The Future
The history of 13th Vineyard can be traced back to 1877 when Jean A. Brun and Jean V. Chaix first established the property as Nouveau Medoc Vineyard. Brun and Chaix were among the first to venture 1,600-1,800 feet in elevation to plant vineyards on Howell Mountain. By 1886, they had constructed a substantial three-story, gravity-fed stone winery that received a Bronze Medal in the 1889 Paris World Competition. Over the years, the property changed hands multiple times, during which production levels varied. By 1980, Francis and Françoise DeWavrin—descendants of the family behind Château La Mission Haut-Brion—acquired and revitalized the estate, renaming it Château Woltner, and beginning their production with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2000, the vineyard underwent another transformation under Pat and Anne Stotesbery, who reintroduced red Bordeaux grape varieties. In 2016, the property was acquired by the PlumpJack Group, returning it to its roots and emphasizing its historic pedigree by renaming it 13th Vineyard. Today, Winemaker Danielle Cyrot produces a limited-production, award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon that celebrates the estate's long-standing winemaking legacy.
The Connection
We felt a special kinship with the estate and its founders, Jean A. Brun and Jean V. Chaix, who were innovators and trailblazers during a time that celebrated old traditions. We, too, value innovation and respect what came before, and want to ensure it remains long after we are gone. Acquiring this property allowed us to rediscover the past and grow into the future.
Danielle Cyrot
Growing up with a French father, Danielle spent summers as a child in France, where she learned about her family’s winemaking history. Her great-grandfather was the last in a long line of ancestors who owned the Cyrot vineyard in Burgundy’s prestigious Côte de Beaune.
Danielle had no plans to carry on her family’s winemaking legacy when she enrolled at the University of California, Davis; however, that quickly changed when she took an introductory winemaking class and knew she had found her calling. While at Davis, she worked harvests at Schramsberg and Artesa in Napa Valley, learning the trade from the soil up. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in viticulture and enology, Danielle worked abroad at wineries in Alsace, France, and South Australia.
After honing her skills overseas, Danielle returned to Napa Valley and joined Stags’ Leap Winery as their Enologist. They quickly recognized her talent, promoting her to Assistant Winemaker under her mentor, Robert Brittan. During her six-year tenure, she produced world-class wines that merited her next promotion as Winemaker at St. Clement. Danielle spent the next seven years crafting elegant, structured, and notable wines that expressed her personality and what she likes in a glass of wine. In August 2012, she joined CADE Estate Winery and has become one of the most innovative, sustainability-minded winemakers in Napa Valley. Her work has helped dismantle the status quo, reframing screw caps as an acceptable closure for high-end wines and defining the next generation of luxury wine packaging.
Tyler Martin
Tyler joined the cellar team at CADE Estate Winery in August 2013. After working diligently and showing great passion and attention to detail in his craft, he was promoted to Enologist in August 2015, then to Assistant Winemaker in August 2017, and finally to Associate Winemaker at 13th Vineyard in 2018.
Growing up in Moraga, California, he has always been close to the wine country. Spending time tasting and collecting wine with his father, he continued to nurture his interest and knowledge of wine. Tyler’s first experience in winemaking came during his internship at Edna Valley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo. As a member of the 2010 Harvest team, Tyler was exposed to all facets of cellar work—long hours, constant pump overs, and the sweet buzz of the crush line. He was hooked.
After graduating from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 2012, Tyler spent the next year traveling the world, gaining experience in both the northern and southern hemispheres. As a harvest intern at Vineyard 29 in St. Helena, he got his first experience with the super-premium winemaking of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Furthering his winemaking education, he moved to Australia in February 2013 to experience two sparkling wine harvests: the first at Taltarni Vineyards in Victoria and the second at Clover Hill Wines in Tasmania. Through these experiences, he learned many different winemaking styles and ideologies, influencing him to become the winemaker he is today.
Since joining the team, Tyler has had the opportunity to create elegant, handcrafted premium wines, further expanding his winemaking expertise under the guidance of acclaimed Winemaker Danielle Cyrot.
