Jean Case & her husband Steve founded Early Mountain Vineyards in 2012 in central Virginia. With a strong commitment to the vineyard as well as a fervent expression of place, Early Mountain’s mission is to craft high-quality wines and to support Virginia’s ascent as a world-class wine region. The Early Mountain team farms 55 acres and works with growers of other quality mountainside vineyard sites largely along the Eastern side of the Blue Ridge where the rocky soils, elevation, and slopes grow wines of distinction.

Winemaker Maya Hood White adjusts her winemaking to the vintage, with an approach of fermenting block-by-block utilizing ambient ferments, judicious stem inclusion, and low-intervention winemaking. The élevage for many of their wines includes long lees aging in large-format barrels to build complexity and texture. Renowned for their work with Petit Manseng and Cabernet Franc, Early Mountain approaches each vintage as an opportunity to further hone their winegrowing approach and share their knowledge with the burgeoning Virginia wine community. 

In addition to their vinifera wines, Early Mountain’s Young Wine series elevates hybrid grape varieties (Vidal Blanc & Chambourcin), seeking out quality sites and producing fresh, youthful wines with no additives.