Impensata - Kinsman winemaker Abreu vineyard manager

Whoa - what a team and vineyard pedigree. Don’t know much about it but could not be more excited.

Winemaker Kinsman (Araujo, Kinsman, Accendo, etc), vineyard managed by Abreu, both estate wine in Calistoga (part of vineyard previously sold to cult winery (inferring) until their own release) and grapes from Thorevilos and Los Posadas (two of my favorite wines, Abreu Thorevilos and Los Posadas).

They don’t have a website yet but looks like their mailing list page is up, this one I can’t pass on.

Will update as I find out more.

Whoa, yes, please do…

I signed up for the mailing list- pretty cool response/perspective.

Signed up. Thanks for sharing.

No problem. Will add info as I learn more. Looks like AG wrote the following as part of the wineries which I assume means a review in the future will be out?

Impensata sources from their estate Engelhard Vineyard in Calistoga’s Franz Valley School district and Ecotone (formerly Thorevilos) in St. Helena. Nigel Kinsman is the winemaker.

Would be cool to have some more of Nigel’s wines. Does anyone know the expected price?

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Thanks for sharing. Signed up immediately. Please keep us posted!

Interesting.
I’m curious how many wineries are going to source from this vineyard? Ecotone, aka Abreu’s Thorevilos.
I know Accendo, Vice Versa, and now Impensata.

I’ll give it a shot…but I won’t be surprised if the wine is $200+ bottle. :confused:

Matt- agree. I can’t imagine too many though as it’s not a large site. I see a face off in the future!

Do you have any info on the Engelhard vineyard? I looked it up and this site says “formerly known as Engelhard Vineyard”

The Ciminelli Vineyard (formerly known as the Engelhard Vineyard) sits between 475 and 575 feet at the base of Diamond Mountain in the Calistoga AVA.

The second paragraph here makes it a little more confusing
https://frankmeliswine.com/2020/05/

At LEAST $225 a bottle

Sigh…You’re probably right…

Kinsman is $235/bottle
Vice Versa is $225 for Single Vineyards and $250 for Beckstoffer.
Accendo, I forget. $250ish?

Accendo is $360 (3pk for $1080)

Looks like there is a passion for Merlot based on the Thorevilos offering (looks like their estate offering is Cabernet and Thorevilos is Merlot). Now that could be an amazing wine - a merlot from arguably one of the most unique and compelling vineyards. Merlot is such an amazing grape yet Napa for the most part focuses so much on Cabernet.

I can only count a handful of super high quality Merlot offerings in Napa. I personally would love a Right Bank inspired badass Napa Merlot and from Thorevilos - very very intrigued. Damnit I have to try it now.

Ryan A - thanks for all of the updates! where are you getting all of this info? Really appreciate all of the insights!

Happy to do it. I admittedly have a wine problem and a two feet in personality so discovering new wines, vintage variation and new wineries is a hobby… or obsession I guess depending on how you look at it :slight_smile:

I have followed Thorevilos for a while as it’s one of my favorite vineyards in Napa along with a handful of other Eisele, Dr Crane, Las Piedras, etc. I also feel David Abreu is one of the top vineyard managers out there so there is also that. Now add to that my affection for the winemaker Kinsman, Araujo, 2016 Accendo, 2016 Kinsman Rhad. Last but not least, I have started to pay much more attention to Calistoga after being introduced to TRB Maybach A wine some years ago.

With all of those things coming together I became a little bit of a kid in a candy store and wanted to find out more- hey don’t judge, it’s COVID what else is there to do locked up in the house all day with the family?

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I love it. I agree. Nigel is doing an incredible job! Now pair him with Abreu and you will have trouble naming a better duo! Really intrigued by this project and I hope am lucky enough to get on the initial list once they release this fall! Keep the insights coming champagne.gif

What other wines does Nigel make? And would also love to get my hands on some slightly older vintages for perhaps labels he no longer works with…

Any reco’s would be appreciated, cheers…

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Araujo was his Napa claim to fame, 2010 - 2013? After Latour purchased the winery they brought in their own team. The above is not fact so please verify but should be close to correct.

Looks like Krupp Brothers before that.

If you are going to buy Accendo, I might suggest buying 2016 as the vineyard management seems to be a much higher degree of quality than the earlier years IMHO (it could have been 2015 but 2016 is the wine that stands out the most to me in my cellar).

I’d recommend getting on the Bella Oaks list if you still can. Nigel is the winemaker and the owner has brought the legendary Bella Oaks vineyard back to life. Wines are made at Wheeler Farms. Just scored 98pts I believe by AG. First release is the 2018.