Ovid: The First Nine Years 2005-2013

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | FEBRUARY 21, 2017  

Ovid is one of the most exciting new entrants in the world of premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Since their first commercially released vintage in 2005, Ovid has shown what is possible on Pritchard Hill’s Long Ranch Road sector, a stretch of vineyards that starts at Aril, on the lower slopes of the mountain, and winds its way past several top estates, including Brand, Montagna, Martinez, Nine Suns and Colgin, before reaching Ovid. This vertical provided a rare opportunity to track the estate’s evolution from the first release to the present.

A Brief History…

Ovid is one of several Pritchard Hill properties that was carved out from the larger 1,000-acre estate that once belonged entirely to the Long family. In 1998 Mark Nelson and Dana Johnson purchased two parcels on Pritchard Hill with the intention of building a home. Entering the wine industry was not in the plan. Nelson’s background was in the medical software industry (Nelson had sold his company, Ovid Technologies, earlier that year), while Johnson’s career was in information sciences. A meeting with noted viticulturist David Abreu was enough to convince Nelson and Johnson that they had, in fact, purchased land with extraordinary potential. Abreu began developing the site in 2000. Shortly thereafter, Nelson and Johnson added a third parcel to complete what today is the Ovid estate. Managing partner Janet Pagano, winemaker Austin Peterson and consulting winemaker Andy Erickson were brought on to round out a team that has been together pretty much since the beginning, a rarity by the fast-paced standards of Napa Valley.

Nelson and Johnson named their new winery Ovid, after the Latin poet Publius Ovidius Naso, whose 15-volume Metamorphoses chronicling the history of the world through creation to the time of Julius Caesar, is considered one of the most important works of western civilization. A passion for classical culture informs many choices at Ovid. That passion extends far beyond wine. Walking into the Nelson home is like taking a trip back to a world that existed two thousand years ago. Ancient books and other works of art are everywhere, but there is no television in sight. 

In the Vineyard

The vineyards are divided into essentially two large parcels that sit on Pritchard Hill’s well-exposed elevated plateau at about 1,100–1,200 feet in altitude. Ovid’s smaller block is nestled against Martinez, while the second, larger piece is closer to David Arthur. The dark red soils are rich in iron and clay, but the most striking attribute of this land is the collection of large rocks that had to be removed before the vineyards could be planted. Many of those rocks remain as a testament to what makes Pritchard Hill such a unique place to grow grapes.

Today, Ovid has about 15 acres under vine. One of the differentiating features at Ovid is a relatively high presence of Cabernet Franc, which plays a significant part of the blend in vintages 2006-2010 of Ovid, the flagship wine, and is the base of Hexameter. Dollops of Petit Verdot, Syrah and Merlot complement the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Of all the estates on this side of Pritchard Hill, Ovid is the property that provides the clearest link with Oakville and the vineyards that lie just below, where red, rocky soils feature prominently in a number of vineyards, including Oakville Ranch, Saunders and the upper blocks of Backus.