Introduction: Enfield Wine Co. is the project of John Lockwood and his wife Amy Seese, founded in 2010 after Lockwood honed his craft working harvests at Littorai and Failla under Ted Lemon and Ehren Jordan — two of California's most influential winemakers. A New California producer in the truest sense, Enfield sources exclusively from small independent growers at heritage vineyard sites across the state, working with native yeast and minimal intervention to let soil and site speak. Pretty Horses — named after Cormac McCarthy's novel — is the wine that most clearly defines Enfield's ethos: a California spin on the Spanish blending tradition, bringing Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, and Mourvèdre together from organically farmed hill sites in Wild Horse Valley and the Sierra Foothills.

Terroir: The 2020 is assembled from four organically farmed heritage vineyards averaging 40 years of age, split between two distinct California environments. Heron Lake Vineyard in Wild Horse Valley — Napa's cool, fog-influenced eastern AVA — sits at elevation in shallow volcanic soils where quartz and granite rise close to the surface, delivering energy and minerality. Rorick Heritage Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills brings limestone-rich soils and warm daytime temperatures tempered by significant elevation and diurnal cooling, contributing weight, spice, and depth. The 2020 vintage in California brought concentrated, structured fruit from a warm but balanced growing season preceding the catastrophic autumn fires — the vineyards used here were unaffected.

Appearance: Medium ruby with a slight garnet rim — translucent and luminous, in the lighter-extraction New California style that signals freshness over power.

Nose: Immediately aromatic and layered — black cherry, cacao, sassafras, and star anise open alongside rock salt and a deep, almost brooding umami character that is Enfield's signature. The 50% whole-cluster inclusion adds a subtle savory herb lift, while Graciano contributes brightness and floral tension that keeps the bouquet from settling into darkness. Complex and shifting, it rewards time in the glass.

Palate: Medium-bodied, silky, and deceptively structured — light on its feet yet deeply flavored, with cacao, black cherry, strawberry, and sweet almond framed by a fine tannic grip and a spine of acidity that keeps everything fresh and focused. The Mourvèdre adds a mouth-coating depth and a dark bass note without adding weight. The umami quality threads through the palate continuously, making this one of the more food-friendly expressions of Tempranillo produced in California.

Finish: Long, spiced, and mineral, with rock salt, star anise, and cacao lingering through a clean, mouthwatering close. The finish has genuine length and precision — a benchmark quality for the price.

Food Pairings:
🥩 Meat: Grilled lamb chops with herbs, duck breast with cherry reduction, or a slow-roasted short rib with miso butter
🥦 Vegetarian: Roasted vegetable paella, mushroom and walnut tacos, or eggplant caponata on grilled bread 🧀 Charcuterie Board: Manchego, Idiazabal, Spanish chorizo, Marcona almonds, and dark chocolate

Overall Impression: The 2020 Pretty Horses punches well above its price — a seamlessly constructed California Tempranillo blend of genuine originality, sitting comfortably in the New California movement without sacrificing texture or depth for lightness. John Lockwood describes it as their most gastronomic wine, and the food-pairing versatility is real — the wine's umami thread and balanced acidity make it one of the more useful bottles in the cellar. Serve with a slight chill at 58–62°F; drink now through 2026.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV %): 12.9%
Farming Practices:Organically farmed source vineyards; native yeast fermentation; no fining or filtration; no cold stabilization; minimal SO2; average vine age 40 years across four heritage sites
Producer Name: Enfield Wine Co. (John Lockwood & Amy Seese)
Old World / New World:New World
Country of Origin: United States
Region: California — Wild Horse Valley AVA (Napa County) and Sierra Foothills AVA Grape Varietals: Tempranillo 60%, Garnacha 27%, Graciano 13%, Mourvèdre (trace) Vintage: 2020
Wine Style: Dry Red — Medium-bodied, translucent, and umami-driven, with a Spanish-inspired varietal profile shaped by cool volcanic and limestone California heritage sites. More structured and mineral than fruit-forward; built for the table and short-to-medium-term cellaring. 
Winemaking Techniques: Hand-harvested; 50% whole cluster; gently foot-trodden or punched down once daily during native yeast fermentation; aged approximately 11 months in a combination of 500L puncheons and 225L French oak barrels, small percentage new; blended at bottling; unfined and unfiltered; bottled with minimal effective SO2
Pack Size: 750ml
Container Style: Glass bottle
Closure Style: Cork