Wine Portfolio

Philippe Melka

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

Keith Emerson

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.