The gently rolling hills in North Sonoma County's Alexander Valley are known around the world for the intensely flavored red wine grapes grown on its slopes. Reflections Meritage, a Bordeaux-style blend of varietals grown on the Kreck Estate Vineyard, is a concept originating from a desire to stay closer to home. The vineyards on Chalk Hill Road couldn't be situated any more advantageously for making that dream come true.

Like the valley named for early settler Cyrus Alexander, the Kreck Estate was once part of a several hundred thousand acre Mexican land grant known as Rancho Sotoyome. One hundred and fifty years later, the parcel had long since been broken up into smaller tracts. Yvonne Kreck's mother, Meta Mosher, first came to Alexander Valley as a child with her family in 1919. After attending UC Berkeley, marriage and the beginnings of their careers in the Bay Area, Meta and her husband, Roland, purchased a 43 acre parcel of hills, oaks, creeks and grass pastures in 1941. Supplies became available again after World War II in 1947 and they began building the estate house; Meta taught and served as principal of the Alexander Valley School for over six years. While Yvonne was growing up, her horse and several head of cattle grazed on the Chalk Hill property.

The establishment and running of a newly formed winery requires a great deal of travel. Bill Kreck, his parents and brother were just beginning to make wine to the west of Chalk Hill in Dry Creek Valley. Mill Creek Vineyards' first release in 1976 and expansion into national markets meant that Bill spent a considerable amount of time in airports across the country. He and Yvonne had purchased the Chalk Hill property from Meta and were raising their three young sons. Before every reluctant trip out of town, Bill dreamed of turning some of the Chalk Hill pastureland into vineyards capable of producing an ultra-premium wine with quality and in quantities enough to create a loyal following among a select group of clients. These high-altitude ruminations resulted in Reflections Meritage.

Plans took shape over several years, though Bill's project didn't proceed at full speed until 1991 with the construction of a small dam. If there were to be grapes, a water source had to be developed for irrigation as well as frost protection. The following spring, 1992, seven south-facing acres were planted to the three varietals typical of a full-bodied Bordeaux blend: two-thirds Cabernet, one-third Merlot, and a few vines of Cabernet Franc are included. The vines grow on SO4 rootstocks in rows running northwest to southeast in rich, dark brown ancient river bed soil. The viticultural goal is to emphasize the warm climate characteristics through pruning and limiting the yields of future vintages. The enological goal is to marry them in an elegant wine ageable well into the next century.

Reflections winemaker Hank Skewis prefers slow, even extractions, whether juice from skins or wine from wood. The first crop from the Chalk Hill vines produced less than a ton per acre of desirably small berries, resulting in a ruby colored wine. Beginning when the grapes were brought in from the field, through fermentation and barrel aging, he has guided the process with a light touch.