St. Helena Special
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena
Winemaker, Vineyard 29
Philippe spent much of his early life in Bordeaux, receiving his geology degree in 1989 from the University of Bordeaux. In his final year of study, he took a wine course purely out of sheer curiosity, and from that moment on realized his passion--and future--lay in the world of wine.
In 1991 he completed a masters program in Agronomy and Enology under the direction of Professor Sequin, a reputed specialist with regard to terroir. Philippe was fascinated by the relationship between soil and wine quality and his appreciation of the study of soil agronomy continues to this day in his work as a viticulturist as well as winemaker.
Philippe set out for the New World to discover its wines and expand his knowledge in the process. In 1991-1992, he worked for Dominus in both winemaking and vineyard management. He split 1992 between working harvest at Chittering Estate in Western Australia, and returning to Dominus to study grape maturation and ideal picking times.
In 1993, Philippe studied soils at Badia a Coltibuono in Italy as well as the emerging Sangiovese varietal. In the spring of that year, he was once again on French soil, joining the J. P. Moueix company in Libourne, where he stayed until returning to Napa Valley in 1994 to devote himself to winemaking and continuing soil studies.
In 1999, Philippe began making Vineyard 29 wines. After the McMinns purchased the property, Philippe proved instrumental in thinking through the winery design—with the aim of arriving at a design that would help him to produce the best wine possible. In conjunction with the design and winemaking process, he aided with vineyard selection as Chuck sought another property to add to the Vineyard 29 portfolio. Now, years later, we often hear Philippe referred to as one of the most important winemakers in Napa Valley today.
Country born: France
Education: University of Bordeaux - geology, viticulture, enology
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Winemaker, Vineyard 29
I have been making wine since 1998 beginning at Cakebread Cellars and after that, became enologist at Sonoma's historical Gundlach Bundschu Winery. In 2004 a sabbatical took me to Martinborough, New Zeland to work the harvest for Palliser Estate Wines. Since 2005, I have been Director of Winemaking (and now President & CEO) for Vineyard 29 overseeing the winery's portfolio as well as that of the ultra-premium custom crush clientele. In addition to my own brands, Emerson Brown, atLarge and Sonria, I also make wine for Robert Craig Winery, Vinoce, Knighton Family, Labry, Sang-Froid, Vineyard 36, Martin Ray and Gundlach Bundschu.
Country born: United States
Education: Enology and Viticulture degree, 1999, University of California, Davis.
Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years
Honors / Awards:
2013 Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 100 pts, Wine Advocate
Winemaking Philosophy:
Try to capture the best of what each vineyard site has to offer. Work harder than the next guy.
4935 McConnell Avenue
#21
Los Angeles CA 90066
310-306-2822
Premiere Napa Valley Wine Collection
Winery | Vintage | Variety | Appellation | Fanciful | Auction |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 22 |
Arietta | 2015 | White Wine | Napa Valley | White Keys: A Melodic Inversion | 21 |
Frias Family Vineyard | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 21 | |
TATE | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | 21 | |
TEXTBOOK | 2015 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | Over the Rainbow | 21 |
Trinchero Napa Valley | 2015 | Malbec | Atlas Peak | Haystack Vineyard | 21 |
ZD Wines Napa Green Winery | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 21 |
Arietta | 2014 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | XX | 20 |
Etude | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 20 | |
Paradigm Winery | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | 20 | |
Parallel Napa Valley | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 20 | |
Tate Wines | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Howell Mountain | Jacks Vineyard | 20 |
Vineyard 29 | 2014 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 20 | |
ZD Wines Napa Green Winery | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 20 |
Baldacci Family Vineyards | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Stags Leap District | First Born | 19 |
Howell at the Moon, Kelleher Family & Peacock Family | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 3 Sum | 19 |
Madrigal Family Winery | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 19 | |
PATEL - Napa Valley | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 19 | |
Red Mare Wines | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Hestia Farms | 19 |
Schramsberg Vineyards | 1989 | Sparkling Wine | Napa Valley | J. Schram Late Disgorged | 19 |
Tate Wines | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Tale of Two Mountains | 19 |
Vineyard 29 | 2013 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | Power, Elegance, Perfection | 19 |
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 19 |
Arietta | 2012 | Red Wine | Napa Valley | Apotheosis | 18 |
Schramsberg Vineyards | 1993 | Sparkling Wine | Napa Valley | Reserve Late Disgorged | 18 |
TEXTBOOK | 2012 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Oakville | All or Nothing! | 18 |
Vineyard 29 | 2012 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | St. Helena Special | 18 |
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 18 |
Detert Family Vineyards | 2011 | Cabernet Franc | Oakville | 17 | |
Krupp Brothers | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 17 | |
Promise | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Rutherford | 17 | |
Schramsberg Vineyards | 1987 | Sparkling Wine | Napa Valley | J. Schram Late-Disgorged | 17 |
TEXTBOOK | 2011 | Red Wine | Oakville | Dr. Strangebrix | 17 |
Vineyard 29 | 2011 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | The St. Helena Special | 17 |
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 17 |
Buccella | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 16 | |
Frias Family Vineyard | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Spring Mountain District | 16 | |
Krupp Brothers | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 16 | |
Parallel Napa Valley | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Fortune Teller | 16 |
Schramsberg Vineyards | 1996 | Sparkling Wine | Napa Valley | J. Schram Late Disgorged | 16 |
Trinchero Napa Valley | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Mountain to Mountain Cuvee | 16 |
Vineyard 29 | 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | 16 | |
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 16 |
Amuse Bouche Winery | 2009 | Merlot | Rutherford | 15 | |
TEXTBOOK | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Professor Pey | 15 |
Vineyard 29 | 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon | St. Helena | 15 | |
ZD Wines | Non-vintage | Cabernet Sauvignon | Napa Valley | Petit Abacus | 15 |
2023 © Napa Valley Vintners All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement