I'm stunned I hadn't heard of Accendo Cellars

Mel_Knox · January 12, 2021, 6:42am

Nobody should feel bad they haven’t heard of Accendo. There are so many new wineries.

Transcendo yes…but remember that one should refer to the winery as ‘they’.

Adam_Frisch · January 12, 2021, 7:07am

I read they bought and did up a winery with both a big custom crush facility as well as a restaurant and tasting room. No expense spared on the facility or equipment. Looks amazing. I mean, have you guys checked the price for an optical sorter?

Apparently heard they had investors to the tune of $35Million, so you can see they might need some recouping on the sales side…

Len_Stevens · January 12, 2021, 12:18pm

Mikael did indeed reach out and what a class act! He is a perfect fit for the job…and he hooked me up! Just reason 3426 that I love this site. Thank you every one!!!

scott.becker · January 12, 2021, 6:13pm

Nice to see some buzz for Accendo Cellars as I think it’s well deserved. Thought I would add a little color commentary for those who are interested.

In full transparency, I feel lucky to consider Bart Araujo a friend and mentor. I remember walking the Eisele Vineyard with Bart somewhere in the mid-2000’s and he said something I will never forget. In response to a question I asked about legacy, he said simply, “Scott, this land was here before me and it will be here after me. I’m just passing through.” For those who know Bart, he can say a lot with only a few words.

I realized then how important the notion of stewardship was to Bart, and to the broader Napa Valley as a whole. Eisele was certainly known before the Araujo’s purchased it. For those who want to drink unicorn wines, look for the 71 Ridge Eisele or any of the Phelps Eisele wines from the 70’s and 80’s. But I would argue it was really Bart and Daphne and the rest of the Araujo team that enabled the site to reach its full potential. They orchestrated a thoughtful replant, introduced biodynamic farming, and brought a level of precision and focus to the vineyard that wasn’t necessarily prevalent in Napa Valley at the time. It’s a romantic notion to think the best wines make themselves but that’s not my experience. Simplicity comes from extraordinary effort and thought. To me the Araujo wines of 1991 through 2013 demonstrate the greatness of a site, to be sure, but equally the greatness of a team that brought a gentle, guiding touch and a clear sense of purpose.

What I love about Accendo is that it represents an entirely different approach from the one the Araujo’s took with Eisele. I’ve enjoyed watching Bart essentially reinvent himself – sourcing fruit, building a new state-of-the-art winery from scratch, etc. You have the same talented, dynamic duo of Francoise and Nigel so the wines continue to have brightness, nuance and elegance which points to a similar ethos and signature from the Araujo Eisele era. Yet of course the Accendo wines are different given the vineyard sourcing and blending. With fruit sources like Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady and Ecotone (formerly Abreu’s Thorevilos), my palate is tempted to think the Accendo wines have a touch more power and density than Araujo Eisele. Perhaps someone on this board will organize a tasting of 3-5 vintages each of Araujo Eisele and Accendo and report back on their impressions?!

Price is always an issue with Napa Valley wines and we all wrestle with this. A topic for another day will be the changing economics of winegrowing in Napa Valley. I seem to always go back to the notion of value. Generally speaking the 2018 and 2019 vintages will deliver fantastic, long-lived wines in Napa Valley. Accendo represents the accumulation of three decades worth of winegrowing experience at the highest level. The wine represents a great family’s vision and a great team’s effort and commitment toward excellence. The consistency and longevity and stewardship that Bart and Daphne Araujo have demonstrated not only in the vineyard and in the cellar but also in the community…is increasingly rare as Napa Valley goes through a generational transition. If you collect (or better yet consume) the top names in Napa Valley, Accendo is a worthy and valuable contribution to your cellar.

Ok Mikael, I talked myself into a 3-pack…I’ll send you a message!

Len_Stevens · January 12, 2021, 6:29pm

Nice to see some buzz for Accendo Cellars as I think it’s well deserved. Thought I would add a little color commentary for those who are interested.

In full transparency, I feel lucky to consider Bart Araujo a friend and mentor. I remember walking the Eisele Vineyard with Bart somewhere in the mid-2000’s and he said something I will never forget. In response to a question I asked about legacy, he said simply, “Scott, this land was here before me and it will be here after me. I’m just passing through.” For those who know Bart, he can say a lot with only a few words.

I realized then how important the notion of stewardship was to Bart, and to the broader Napa Valley as a whole. Eisele was certainly known before the Araujo’s purchased it. For those who want to drink unicorn wines, look for the 71 Ridge Eisele or any of the Phelps Eisele wines from the 70’s and 80’s. But I would argue it was really Bart and Daphne and the rest of the Araujo team that enabled the site to reach its full potential. They orchestrated a thoughtful replant, introduced biodynamic farming, and brought a level of precision and focus to the vineyard that wasn’t necessarily prevalent in Napa Valley at the time. It’s a romantic notion to think the best wines make themselves but that’s not my experience. Simplicity comes from extraordinary effort and thought. To me the Araujo wines of 1991 through 2013 demonstrate the greatness of a site, to be sure, but equally the greatness of a team that brought a gentle, guiding touch and a clear sense of purpose.

What I love about Accendo is that it represents an entirely different approach from the one the Araujo’s took with Eisele. I’ve enjoyed watching Bart essentially reinvent himself – sourcing fruit, building a new state-of-the-art winery from scratch, etc. You have the same talented, dynamic duo of Francois and Nigel so the wines continue to have brightness, nuance and elegance which points to a similar ethos and signature from the Araujo Eisele era. Yet of course the Accendo wines are different given the vineyard sourcing and blending. With fruit sources like Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady and Ecotone (formerly Abreu’s Thorevilos), my palate is tempted to think the Accendo wines have a touch more power and density than Araujo Eisele. Perhaps someone on this board will organize a tasting of 3-5 vintages each of Araujo Eisele and Accendo and report back on their impressions?!

Price is always an issue with Napa Valley wines and we all wrestle with this. A topic for another day will be the changing economics of winegrowing in Napa Valley. I seem to always go back to the notion of value. Generally speaking the 2018 and 2019 vintages will deliver fantastic, long-lived wines in Napa Valley. Accendo represents the accumulation of three decades worth of winegrowing experience at the highest level. The wine represents a great family’s vision and a great team’s effort and commitment toward excellence. The consistency and longevity and stewardship that Bart and Daphne Araujo have demonstrated not only in the vineyard and in the cellar but also in the community…is increasingly rare as Napa Valley goes through a generational transition. If you collect (or better yet consume) the top names in Napa Valley, Accendo is a worthy and valuable contribution to your cellar.

Ok Mikael, I talked myself into a 3-pack…I’ll send you a message!

Wow…just wow! I can’t thank you enough for sharing this. Simply inspirational.

Len

Rodrigo_F · January 12, 2021, 6:30pm

I couldn’t agree more with this. Thank you for this post, Scott. Well written, thoughtful, honest and educational for the likes of me who are just a few years in, basically starting, their journey into the world of wine. Much appreciated.

I was fortunate to open a '15 Accendo CS last night while I watched my alma matter, Alabama, destroy Ohio State. Wine was singing after a 1hr + decant. Delicious and will always be attached to this memory now. Roll tide!
Accendo 15.PNG

Nice to see some buzz for Accendo Cellars as I think it’s well deserved. Thought I would add a little color commentary for those who are interested.

In full transparency, I feel lucky to consider Bart Araujo a friend and mentor. I remember walking the Eisele Vineyard with Bart somewhere in the mid-2000’s and he said something I will never forget. In response to a question I asked about legacy, he said simply, “Scott, this land was here before me and it will be here after me. I’m just passing through.” For those who know Bart, he can say a lot with only a few words.

I realized then how important the notion of stewardship was to Bart, and to the broader Napa Valley as a whole. Eisele was certainly known before the Araujo’s purchased it. For those who want to drink unicorn wines, look for the 71 Ridge Eisele or any of the Phelps Eisele wines from the 70’s and 80’s. But I would argue it was really Bart and Daphne and the rest of the Araujo team that enabled the site to reach its full potential. They orchestrated a thoughtful replant, introduced biodynamic farming, and brought a level of precision and focus to the vineyard that wasn’t necessarily prevalent in Napa Valley at the time. It’s a romantic notion to think the best wines make themselves but that’s not my experience. Simplicity comes from extraordinary effort and thought. To me the Araujo wines of 1991 through 2013 demonstrate the greatness of a site, to be sure, but equally the greatness of a team that brought a gentle, guiding touch and a clear sense of purpose.

What I love about Accendo is that it represents an entirely different approach from the one the Araujo’s took with Eisele. I’ve enjoyed watching Bart essentially reinvent himself – sourcing fruit, building a new state-of-the-art winery from scratch, etc. You have the same talented, dynamic duo of Francois and Nigel so the wines continue to have brightness, nuance and elegance which points to a similar ethos and signature from the Araujo Eisele era. Yet of course the Accendo wines are different given the vineyard sourcing and blending. With fruit sources like Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady and Ecotone (formerly Abreu’s Thorevilos), my palate is tempted to think the Accendo wines have a touch more power and density than Araujo Eisele. Perhaps someone on this board will organize a tasting of 3-5 vintages each of Araujo Eisele and Accendo and report back on their impressions?!

Price is always an issue with Napa Valley wines and we all wrestle with this. A topic for another day will be the changing economics of winegrowing in Napa Valley. I seem to always go back to the notion of value. Generally speaking the 2018 and 2019 vintages will deliver fantastic, long-lived wines in Napa Valley. Accendo represents the accumulation of three decades worth of winegrowing experience at the highest level. The wine represents a great family’s vision and a great team’s effort and commitment toward excellence. The consistency and longevity and stewardship that Bart and Daphne Araujo have demonstrated not only in the vineyard and in the cellar but also in the community…is increasingly rare as Napa Valley goes through a generational transition. If you collect (or better yet consume) the top names in Napa Valley, Accendo is a worthy and valuable contribution to your cellar.

Ok Mikael, I talked myself into a 3-pack…I’ll send you a message!

Merrill_Lindquist · January 12, 2021, 8:59pm

Nice to see some buzz for Accendo Cellars as I think it’s well deserved. Thought I would add a little color commentary for those who are interested.

In full transparency, I feel lucky to consider Bart Araujo a friend and mentor. I remember walking the Eisele Vineyard with Bart somewhere in the mid-2000’s and he said something I will never forget. In response to a question I asked about legacy, he said simply, “Scott, this land was here before me and it will be here after me. I’m just passing through.” For those who know Bart, he can say a lot with only a few words.

I realized then how important the notion of stewardship was to Bart, and to the broader Napa Valley as a whole. Eisele was certainly known before the Araujo’s purchased it. For those who want to drink unicorn wines, look for the 71 Ridge Eisele or any of the Phelps Eisele wines from the 70’s and 80’s. But I would argue it was really Bart and Daphne and the rest of the Araujo team that enabled the site to reach its full potential. They orchestrated a thoughtful replant, introduced biodynamic farming, and brought a level of precision and focus to the vineyard that wasn’t necessarily prevalent in Napa Valley at the time. It’s a romantic notion to think the best wines make themselves but that’s not my experience. Simplicity comes from extraordinary effort and thought. To me the Araujo wines of 1991 through 2013 demonstrate the greatness of a site, to be sure, but equally the greatness of a team that brought a gentle, guiding touch and a clear sense of purpose.

What I love about Accendo is that it represents an entirely different approach from the one the Araujo’s took with Eisele. I’ve enjoyed watching Bart essentially reinvent himself – sourcing fruit, building a new state-of-the-art winery from scratch, etc. You have the same talented, dynamic duo of Francoise and Nigel so the wines continue to have brightness, nuance and elegance which points to a similar ethos and signature from the Araujo Eisele era. Yet of course the Accendo wines are different given the vineyard sourcing and blending. With fruit sources like Vine Hill Ranch, Sleeping Lady and Ecotone (formerly Abreu’s Thorevilos), my palate is tempted to think the Accendo wines have a touch more power and density than Araujo Eisele. Perhaps someone on this board will organize a tasting of 3-5 vintages each of Araujo Eisele and Accendo and report back on their impressions?!

Price is always an issue with Napa Valley wines and we all wrestle with this. A topic for another day will be the changing economics of winegrowing in Napa Valley. I seem to always go back to the notion of value. Generally speaking the 2018 and 2019 vintages will deliver fantastic, long-lived wines in Napa Valley. Accendo represents the accumulation of three decades worth of winegrowing experience at the highest level. The wine represents a great family’s vision and a great team’s effort and commitment toward excellence. The consistency and longevity and stewardship that Bart and Daphne Araujo have demonstrated not only in the vineyard and in the cellar but also in the community…is increasingly rare as Napa Valley goes through a generational transition. If you collect (or better yet consume) the top names in Napa Valley, Accendo is a worthy and valuable contribution to your cellar.

Ok Mikael, I talked myself into a 3-pack…I’ll send you a message!

Your quoted vineyard sources do not a $400 wine make. The Araujos have started over, and they have started without their main asset: the Eisele Vineyard. What makes this new venture so special to command those prices?

Brian_Tuite · January 12, 2021, 9:03pm

And not as predictable as Rescendo.

scott.becker · January 12, 2021, 10:35pm

Hi Merrill, I think value is in the eye of the beholder. Bond Vecina sells for north of $400 and so does Abreu Thorevilos so actually there is precedent for some of the vineyards that go into Accendo. But I recognize that may not truly address your fundamental point. In my view, the combination of vineyards, people, track record, commitment, etc…is as high quality as any other in Napa Valley.

Kelly_Walker · January 12, 2021, 10:38pm

Does the finish have a crescendo?

Ian_S · January 13, 2021, 4:20am

Maybe they’ll be a Nintendo wine making game based on Accendo.

Rodrigo_F · January 14, 2021, 7:18pm

Accendo '18 CS 98+ by RP

larry_schaffer · January 14, 2021, 7:21pm

And???

Rodrigo_F · January 14, 2021, 7:25pm

Chris_Seiber · January 14, 2021, 7:40pm

Which syllable has the accento?

Richard_Albert · January 14, 2021, 8:18pm

A long time friend whose is a masterful vineyard consultant in Napa initiated and maintained biodynamic farming at the Eisele vineyard for the Araujos. I was able to try some of the declassified barrels with him. Even those wines were outstanding in 04 and 05, but were not going to contribute to their desired style, vin de guarde.
The biodynamic conversion was probably part of the purchase considerations by Pinault with some of France’s top vineyards already having converted.
Oh my, biodynamics again!

Rowen_Bell · January 14, 2021, 9:55pm

One of my audit clients is a company called Accendo Insurance Company, and I think they pronounce it “A-SEN-doh” but that doesn’t mean the winery would pronounce it the same way…