Philosophy

Métisse is a French word meaning “a blend of cultures”. We chose this name because it embodies both the spirit of our original concept (a blend of Bordeaux varietals - cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot) and our spirit as the winemakers a blend of French and American). Our first Métisse vintage, in 1996, was the result of blending grape varietals and vineyard sources. A symbiotic relationship between Philippe and his clients led to an extraordinary blend of grapes from all over Napa Valley. Then in 2003, we decided to make a single-vineyard Métisse wines. It seemed a natural progression for us, and fit our philosophy about wines expressing their native soil.

A distinctive name chosen as an homage to Philippe’s father, this is the name of a river that flows close to his hometown. This is also why the color blue was selected for the eyes on the label as well as the foil. The 25 acre parcel was purchased in 2001 as it was ideal for planting vineyards that could produce wines that would be truly terroir driven. The volcanic ash and clay found in the soils and the extremely high elevation at 2500 feet, is why the three wines made from this single vineyard in Knights Valley are unique.

In keeping with our alliterative naming profile, Majestique represents wines from around the the world that inspire us for their sense of site and soil. The vineyards that appear with this label are places that are simply – majestique. Topping that list is Saint Emilion, France for its old world charm. Le Chatelet Vineyard is planted to Cabernet Franc and Merlot on two different soil types. The rich limestone soils found in the Central Coast of California are the very ones that inspired the creation of the second Majestique wine, a distinctive Syrah from the Paderewski Vineyard.

An acronym for our two children Chloe & Jeremy, the inspiration for creating this wine was to have a fun project that was youthful in spirit with vibrant fruit. The first vintage of CJ was in 1996, the year Jeremy was born, and it was a mere 200 cases. Today, our annual production is a consistent 1,500 cases and it is crafted from select vineyards in the Napa Valley where we have sourced superior Cabernet grapes. CJ is meant to be enjoyed young but also has proven to age at least ten to fifteen years.