Philippe Bascaules

Winemaker, Inglenook

Personally chosen by Francis Ford Coppola, renowned French winemaker Philippe Bascaules came to Napa from Bordeaux in 2011 to become General Manager and Winemaker of Inglenook.

Born and bred in the southwest of France, Bascaules was a gifted student with a love of nature that ultimately inspired his passion for oenology. After receiving an agricultural engineering degree with a specialty in oenology from the graduate school of agronomy in Montpellier, France, Bascaules began his career at the legendary Chateau Margaux, one of France's five First Growth Bordeaux wineries, serving as assistant to the Estate Director, and during the past eleven years, was elevated to Estate Director overseeing the vineyards and cellars and working alongside renowned General Manager Paul Pontallier.

At Inglenook, Bascaules now leads a team of talented winemaking professionals dedicated to Coppola's vision of making Inglenook the finest New World estate wine produced in the Old World style. In 1890, founder Gustave Niebaum stated that Inglenook would one day "produce the finest wines, to equal and excel the most famous vintages of Europe." Over a century later, Coppola and Bascaules continue the Inglenook legacy.

Country born: France

Education: An Agricultural Engineering degree with a specialty in Oenology from the graduate school of agronomy in Montpellier, France

Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
To reflect the true character of our historic Estate

Chris Phelps

Winemaker, Inglenook

Born into a wine-loving family, Chris Phelps completed a degree in enology at UC Davis prior to studying viticulture and enology at the University of Bordeaux. He was selected by his future mentors, Christian Moueix and enologist Jean-Claude Berrouet, of Château Pétrus and Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix, to direct winemaking at Château des Laurets in Puisseguin-St. Emilion for the 1982 harvest. This led to extensive training at Château Pétrus and other Moueix properties on the Right Bank, and then to 12 years as founding winemaker at Dominus Estate, the Napa Valley property owned by Moueix. After Dominus, Chris served in as winemaker at Caymus Vineyards, prior to joining Swanson Vineyards, where he directed production until 2015. Chris likes to make “New World wines with an Old World sensibility,” blending experience and intuition with appropriate technology. He is passionate about bringing elegance and balance to the wines with which he is privileged to work. Chris has been producing his own Napa Cabernet Sauvignon under the Ad Vivum label since 2007. In addition to serving as Associate Winemaker for Inglenook Winery in Rutherford, he continues to consult for several other brands in Napa Valley and the Pacific Northwest. Chris and his wife, Maria, live in St. Helena, Napa Valley, where they raised their four children.

Country born: United States

Years in the wine industry: 30+ years