About Us

Risky Vineyards is the culmination of a lifelong dream for founder and owner Susan Risk.

With over forty years of experience in the wine industry, Susan finally purchased her first vineyard in 2020. Located in the Carneros appellation, this southern tip of the Napa Valley is blessed with cool evening breezes and ample morning fog rolling in from nearby San Pablo Bay.

The fertile land, consisting of weathered sandstone and shale, combined with the perfect climate, make it ideal for growing Pinot Noir grapes on the southern facing slopes. Susan has spent years researching and testing the best clonal variations of the Pinot Noir for planting in her vineyard.

The Chardonnay is mostly planted on the northeast-facing slopes, which offer protection from the harsher afternoon sun and wind. The soil on these slopes is dominated by Haire series soil. Its consistency is clay loam and slightly acidic, resulting in a Chardonnay that expresses a more citric character with slightly more mineralogy. The combination of ideal exposure to sunshine combined with the maritime breezes result in what she believes to be the finest grapes in the region. Susan is hands-on, spending endless hours personally tending to her vines throughout the growing season.

She believes that time spent on shoot positioning, vigorous crop thinning, and limited irrigation results in the best possible grapes.

Her entire vineyard is 100 percent organic.