Does anyone have a list of new wineries that have opened recently in Napa? I am always looking to support newcomers and would appreciate the chance to do some tastings at new establishments next time I’m in Napa. Thanks!
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There are a few new wineries I am aware of - none of which have officially released their wines. MOWE, Annulus, Palisades Canyon, Bergman Family. I would suggest reaching out to them as well as jumping on their mailing lists. Arguably some of the best Napa winemakers are attached to each of these.
I know @D_Mowe is always happy to meet folks and share his namesake wine.
Happy hunting for others! Looking forward to hearing what other new wineries folks have discovered.
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Just received an offer for Annulus - $175 for the Napa Valley, and $250 for the Beckstoffer Las Piers. Anyone tried these wines?
I received their email and it said their initial release will be on September 18th (nothing on their wines or prices though).
Are they releasing their Vine Hill Ranch as well or will that be a seperate release?
No tasting notes on Cellar Tracker either.
I’m not sure about the Vine Hill Ranch. In fact I know nothing about this label except the fact that Nigel Kinsman is the winemaker.
The release notes (not direct from winery) that I received indicate:
117 cases of LPV, 100% CS
525 cases of NV, blend of CS, CF, PV from LPV, VHR, and 1520 vineyard (overseen by Shae and Nigel on Diamond Mountain)
Will probably wait for the formal release while doing some more research in the meantime.
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I exchanged emails with the Head of Hospitality. Releasing 3 Cabs (VHR, Napa, Las Piedras). $175 for the Napa, $250 for the others. They also have a Sav Blanc ($75) but only available to buy at the winery - tasting room.
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Thanks for the information and I believe Nigel makes a Vine Hill Ranch designated wine for at least 3 wineries (his own with Kinsman Eades plus J.H. Wheeler and now Annulus Cellars).
Any others I’m missing?
I know Accendo has a good amount of Vine Hill Ranch in it as well.
That’s what I know too for Nigel. One of my fav vineyards in the world. I like the Phillips own VHR label the best (but haven’t had KE or JH Wheelers). Big fan of the one from Tor, Memento Mori and Arrow & Branch too.
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I got this too from K.Laz. I’m on the list for Annulus directly and will maybe take the VHR offering from them although I did just get my allocation of KE Kaanos (VHR) 2021’s and got the Phillips direct VHR this spring of 2021. So plenty to try from that vineyard!
I prefer Las Piedras along with Crane to the other Beckstoffer vineyards including To Kalon. A Nigel made wine from LPV with Michel Rolland consulting on the blending sounds very intriguing. I did get a mailer yesterday for Bella Oaks upcoming 21 release. Another 100 pointer from AG for Nigel.
anytime there is something new, you will learn about it on here from perhaps the likes of Dentice, Roy Piper or this guy dave at Napa wine project - https://www.napawineproject.com/
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I tried them earlier this month, my notes are on CT…
"Thank you for your interest in the launch of Annulus and your patience while the wines have been settling in bottle.
As you know, this winemaking venture has long been our family’s dream, dating back decades to when we bought our home in the heart of Napa Valley. Over the years, we contemplated a project that would inspire all of us, and in 2019, the family collaboration began. Alongside renowned winemaker Nigel Kinsman and consulting oenologist Michel Rolland, we are crafting classically proportioned wines from a few of Napa’s most revered heritage vineyards.
While the journey has just begun, these wines have already caught the attention of important wine critics, including Jeb Dunnuck, who recently awarded both our 2021 single-vineyard Cabernets 97 points, describing them as “…ultra-pure, seamless, finesse-driven Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Our website will be open for orders starting on the official release date of September 18th (10am PDT). You will receive a reminder email that morning.
Annulus (derived from the Latin word for “ring”) is an homage to the pattern of circles found in winemaking - from the cycles of life in growing and crafting wine to the generations of families making wine. We hope our wines inspire the spirit of gathering and celebration, and we look forward to sharing them with you."
Luke Evnin & Deann Wright
Alexandra Evnin & Elena Evnin
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Has anyone tried Bergman before? I received an offer from them and am tempted to try them out.
Also, has anyone tried Mowe? Wondering how their wines taste.
I’ve had both Bergman and MOWE. Both are incredible. Bergman was made by Nigel Kinsman for the '21 vintage, it’s a killer wine with 10-20+ years of aging potential. Yes the $295/bottle price tag is a hurdle for a new release, but the '21 is killer and IMO worth the buy.
MOWE is single handedly my new favorite project in the valley - and the wines (for the quality) are absolute steals. Many have compared their SB to Dana, which is 6x the price, or Lail Georgia which is a benchmark SB. Their CS comes from former Spottswoode grapes, and it an absolute delight as well. I’ve become friends with the proprietors, and have suggested many folks to visit them in Napa, and most (if not all) who go rave about them.
Below are some threads on both wineries, for your reading pleasure (if you’ve not already seen them)
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Just visited Bergman spent over two hours with Pam. Great company. Fabulous conversation Great property was fortunate to get the 21 and 22 chard which were both wonderful
Pam was nice enough to let us taste all vintages since 2018 so we could see how the wine evolved over the years until the 2021 release. The wine is everything you would expect from the team she has assembled. Also fortunate to taste the 22. It’s a buy 295
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