St. Helena, Calif.-based Sill Family Vineyards announced it acquired the Ardente Estate Winery, an Atlas Peak AVA Napa winery. The property consists of 24.4 acres within the fabled Atlas Peak appellation, it adds.

Igor Sill, vintner and winemaker at Sill Family Vineyards said: “The complex influences that result in this vineyard’s unique characteristics are embodied in the concept of ‘terroir,’ a term that aptly captures the elements of soil, slopes, climate, placement of vines, environmental and cultural influences in producing wine. We are thrilled to have secured this truly magical vineyard. It’s the domain of some incredibly great Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards.

“While the mountain vineyards are more difficult to farm, harder to establish and provide lower grape yield, mountain vineyards tend to produce smaller grapes with relatively less juice, but with greater skin tannins,” Sill continued. “A wine’s color, its tannin and flavors comes from the skin, so mountain vineyards tend to produce more intense, deeply colored and more complex, balanced wines. Our purchase of Ardente Estate Winery, with its great mountain wines and incredible history, will provide our customers with old world style, exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux style wines.” BI