If age and "domain expertise" count for anything, we have come to appreciate the essential elements of inspired winemaking and well-crafted wines. Indeed, extraordinary fruit, thoughtful, inspired winemaking technique, and great French oak are foundational, with our accumulated experience, time-nurtured relationships, core operating values, and unwavering commitment to excellence as the difference-makers.
With our mission to craft the finest wines we know how, our philosophy is rooted in our approach to winemaking. Straightforward in concept, but requiring meticulous attention to detail, we leverage our long-standing grower relationships to secure extraordinary fruit available from Napa Valley's most notable vineyards and districts, including Howell Mountain, Oakville's To Kalon, Coombsville's Caldwell Vineyard, along with coveted blocks on Pritchard Hill, St. Helena and Bald Mountain.
With the "best of the best" fruit at the wine's core, our winemaker Philippe Melka then painstakingly plies his craft; making sure that: "Where possible...the winemaking techniques in the cellar can create a wine that tells the story of the vineyard." Carrying this approach through every aspect of winemaking, from harvest, to declassification, blending, and barrel/bottle-aging; the end result is a stunning reflection of a core philosophy grounded in a simple, elegant design, and practiced with ardor, persistence, and inspired winemaking.
