The Meaning of Linked A story shaped by land, family, and the connections that bring it all together.
At Linked Vineyards, the story is not just about wine. It is about people, place, and the moments that connect them. Perched high above the valley floor in Knights Valley, our vineyard sits at the intersection of Napa and Sonoma, where rugged terrain, coastal influence, and family roots come together to shape something truly meaningful.
What makes a great wine story? Is it the land, the people, the wine itself? For Linked Vineyards, it is all of these, woven together over time.
The story begins with a vision. In the late 1990s, Jessica’s father, Ken Link, purchased a remote hillside property with the hope of creating something lasting, a place that could bring family together and stand as a legacy for generations to come. At the time, there was no roadmap. No deep farming experience. Just belief, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
Jessica, then in college, quickly realized what it would take to bring that vision to life. She shifted her path, immersing herself in wine business and viticulture, while she and her father pursued every opportunity to understand the land beneath their feet. Together, they studied the soils, the exposures, and the unique positioning of the vineyard, perched just above the fog line, where marine air meets mountain warmth.
What they discovered was a site defined by contrast. Volcanic and loamy soils. Wild, untamed hillsides alongside carefully farmed vines. Cooling influences balanced by warmth and elevation. These natural tensions created the ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, a place where the vines would be challenged, and in that challenge, produce fruit of remarkable depth and character.
As the vineyard began to take shape, so did the family around it. Jessica met Drew Johnson, a vineyard manager whose steady hand and deep understanding of farming would become instrumental in guiding the vineyard forward. Their connection to the land became even more personal when they were married beneath the oaks and madrones on the property, rooting their lives as deeply as the vines themselves.
What followed were years of hands-on work and shared experience. Early mornings in the vineyard. Weekends spent tending vines as a family. Children growing up alongside the rows, learning the rhythms of the land. This was never just a project, it was a way of life, shaped by commitment, curiosity, and connection.
As the vines matured, so did the opportunity. By 2007, the fruit had reached a level that inspired something more, the creation of a wine that could fully express the site. A pivotal moment came with the introduction to Luc Morlet, whose philosophy and experience aligned seamlessly with the vision for Linked Vineyards.
Together, they focused on a small, exceptional section of the vineyard, Shelby’s Block, the steepest and most demanding part of the site. Rocky volcanic soils and limited yields resulted in fewer clusters, but with extraordinary concentration and character. It was here that the true identity of Linked Vineyards began to emerge.
The name “Linked” reflects more than just the family. It represents all the connections that make the wine possible, the land, the people, the winemaker, and the extended community of friends and supporters who have been part of the journey from the beginning.
Today, that connection continues in every bottle. Each one is hand numbered and personally registered, creating a lasting bond between the wine, the place it comes from, and those who experience it. It is a reminder that this story is ongoing, shaped by each vintage, each harvest, and each person who becomes part of it.
At its core, Linked Vineyards is about more than what is in the glass. It is about honoring where it came from, who built it, and the relationships that continue to define it.
"Linked is not just our name, it is what we believe. The land, the family, the people, and every bottle are all connected. That is what makes this story worth sharing."
Jessica & Drew
A few years later Jessica fell in love with Drew Johnson, a vineyard manager at Beringer.
They were married under the spreading oaks and majestic madrones on the property. Now part of the Link family, Drew’s knowledgeable and steady hand has guided the development of the vineyard into one that is growing world-class fruit. Drew oftentimes goes to the vineyard as the sun is rising, before heading off to work. On weekends, Jessica and their kids, Nick and Shelby, join him to help tend the vines and share rides on the pooper scooper, spreading compost and manure in the vineyard.
Quality Grapes
After years of these family outings, the vines had matured and the grapes were showing the quality they wanted to produce their own wine in 2007.After years of these family outings, the vines had matured and the grapes were showing the quality they wanted to produce their own wine in 2007.
With a stroke of luck, Jessica and Drew connected with Luc Morlet, consulting winemaker at Peter Michael (an icon of Knight’s Valley Cabernet,) who was looking for grapes for his own family label, Morlet Family Vineyards. He was a perfect match for what they wanted to do, and was excited to make the wine. While the vineyard encompasses 16 acres, Drew and Luc identified a small 3 acre section in Shelby’s Block to pick the grapes for the Linked Vineyards Cabernet. This small plot is the steepest hill in the vineyard and is characterized by rocky volcanic soils that stress the vines, resulting in fewer but more intensely flavored grapes.
While the Linked Vineyards name clearly has ties to the family name, it means much more. It represents all the links that created the wine; the unique site, the family, the winemaker and all the friends who pitch in and support them. Jessica and Drew hand number each bottle, and record who acquires each one. So, you will always have a link to Linked Vineyards, and they to you.
Winemaker, Luc Morlet
The experience of four generations of winegrowers was passed on to Winemaker, Luc Morlet at a very young age as he grew up working in the vineyards and winery founded by his family in Avenay-Val-d’Or, Champagne.
When Jessica and Drew first met Luc Morlet, consulting winemaker at Peter Michael, they immediately recognized a kindred spirit. Luc’s mastery of small-production, Bordeaux-style wines from mountain vineyards, combined with his deep knowledge of Knights Valley, made the connection unmistakable. His enthusiasm for working with Linked Vineyards’ exceptional Knights Valley Cabernet fruit sealed the match. Linked Vineyards and Luc Morlet were, quite simply, made for each other.
The wines that result are truly hand-crafted, with intention guiding every step. Winemaking begins in the vineyard, where meticulous shoot and cluster thinning creates the ideal canopy architecture, allowing each cluster to develop depth, structure, and color. Linked Vineyards is typically among the last to harvest in the region, prioritizing full phenolic maturity and complex flavor development.
Grapes are hand-picked into small boxes and chilled overnight. Once fully cooled, clusters are carefully hand-sorted and gently de-stemmed, followed by two additional sorting passes—the final one performed entirely by hand. The fruit is then hand-crushed and transferred to small tanks and oak puncheons for a cold soak. Fermentation relies exclusively on native, wild yeasts, preserving a true sense of place. The wine is aged for 16 months in artisan French cooperage and bottled without fining or filtration, ensuring nothing stands between the vineyard and the glass.