Demeine Estates is proud to represent our winery partners in the most reputable publications in the world, and to share our own successes with the larger wine industry.
Scott Diaz, the senior vice president of marketing and global brand strategy for Napa Valley-based importer Demeine Estates, concurs: “At the more expensive price points, price increases have been well-received.” With inflation, “consumers are drinking less but drinking better. We see fine wine bucking all of the trends.”
Nothing better validates a wine region dominated by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay than vignerons from Burgundy and Champagne staking claim. Etienne de Montille did just that in 2017 when, after a month-long tour of the West Coast, through the Willamette Valley, Sonoma Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains and elsewhere, chose the Sta. Rita Hills for his Racines Wines brand. Champagne veteran Rodolphe Péters is a partner, overseeing the sparkling program. They share an underlying hope that the region’s direct coastal influence will temper the warming weather patterns, as compared to their land-locked settings in the Old World.
Most Impressive Turnaround – Burgess, Napa Valley, CA
Winemaker Meghan Zobeck presented a stellar set of 2021s when I stopped by earlier this year. It is her first vintage at Burgess after stints working at several prestigious wineries, including Philippe Melka’s Atelier Melka consulting group. The lineup was headlined by the magnificent 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Clos Abeille, which has the potential to be one of the Cabernets of this young vintage. It is a truly superb wine in the making. I was quite honestly blown away by what I tasted.
2019 Brendel Cooper’s Reed Cabernet Sauvignon – A nod to history! I love to feature Napa Valley wines this time of year because there will always be something special about opening a Napa Cab for the holidays. This wine is aged in large casks and is produced from organic grapes, which makes for an incredible wine. This wine is so seductive and drink-able with everything.
And at a time when the wine industry is grappling with attracting younger consumers — mainly Millennials — Brendel is leading the way. Last spring, owner Lawrence Wine Estates (which also owns Heitz, Burgess and Stony Hill) opened this trendy tasting room that speaks to the Millennial aesthetic: bright, light-filled and minimalist with playful design elements, like a pink neon sign that reads “Brendel is French for Brendel.” The winemaking approach continues this theme with wines that are fresh, restrained, lower in alcohol and, most notably, affordable.
Brittany Sherwood, who had worked closely with David, became its third winemaker in 2018, the same year the winery was purchased by Gaylon M. Lawrence, Jr.’s Lawrence Wine Estates. Lawrence is an agricultural magnate and investor from the Midwest, and Heitz Cellar was his first winery purchase.
…
Tom Burgess founded Burgess Cellars on Howell Mountain in 1972, and produced excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah with his long-time winemaker, Bill Sorenson (1972-2012). The winery was sold in September 2020 to Lawrence Wine Estates, and Meghan Zobeck was appointed its new winemaker, replacing Kelly Woods, the winemaker at Burgess Cellars since 2013 and only the second winemaker in the 45-year history of the property.
This carefully crafted Blanc de Blancs reveals a lightly creamy first sip, rich mid-palate and fresh and persistent finish, the signature of an outstanding Côte des Blancs. The aromas intensify in the glass to reveal notes of honeysuckle, citrus and pear underpinned by excellent energy and an aromatic profile always in motion.
Kick off your wine tasting afternoon with a visit to Brendel Wines, located on First Street. Known for their organically-farmed lineup of approachable wines, Brendel’s easy-drinking selection offers a unique alternative to the often bolder flavour profiles of wine found in Napa.
McCoy, the charismatic star of CNN’s culinary travel show Nomad, will personally guide the all-access one-day excursion to four historic Napa wineries: Heitz Cellar, Stony Hill, Burgess and Ink Grade, all of which he runs as CEO of Lawrence Wine Estates. McCoy has masterminded an ambitious program of legacy-vineyard acquisitions over the past four years. He is assisted in his mission to blast fresh air into some of Napa’s fustier corners by a diverse and youthful team, who share a commitment to integrity and purity in winemaking.
We were founded during the pandemic, so our DNA is that we have adaptability, we’re innovative, and we’re prepared to handle a very evolved marketplace. Demeine Estates is not a company of maintainers. We are builders. We’re going to be meticulous about how we continue to grow the portfolio, but we’re definitely not slowing down.
Luxury fine wine importer Demeine Estates announced today that President Philana Bouvier has been honored by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business of 2022. The honorees were unveiled in the October 14, 2022 issue of the San Francisco Business Times.
Honorees are top executives, C-suite leaders and entrepreneurs that exemplify creativity, passion, vision and perseverance. Honorees span a variety of industries including technology, real estate, finance, hospitality, non-profits, law, medicine, education and more.
Napa-based Fine Wine Importer Demeine Estates is thrilled to announce that they have been nominated for “Importer of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast as part of their 2022 Wine Star Awards. The Wine Star Awards are a 23-year tradition honoring changemakers and innovators in the Wine and Spirits Industry. At under two years in business, this is a remarkable accomplishment for Demeine Estates and their producer partners.
Demeine Estates is excited to announce that the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas ™ has welcomed Heitz Cellar’s Estate Director Erik Elliott to the organization. Erik is one of 10 individuals who successfully met the qualifications to be awarded the title of Master Sommelier. The results were announced at the Krug Reception on August 31, 2022, at the Royal Sonesta in Portland, Oregon.
Fine wine importer Demeine Estates is thrilled to announce their partnership with the Mazzei family of Chianti Classico, based in the historic property of Castello di Fonterutoli. Established in 1435, the Mazzei family is widely considered one of the founding families of Chianti Classico. Today, the winery remains family-owned after 25 generations and is one of the most awarded wineries in Tuscany.
Demeine Estates is thrilled to announce the appointment of fine wine professional Andrew Deitz to the role of Senior Vice President of Sales. With a history of success and leadership in on and off-premises accounts, Andrew will be instrumental to the continued growth of Demeine Estates. He will initially lead a team of seven sales managers across the country. Andrew will report to President Philana Bouvier and join Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Brand Strategy Scott Diaz on the senior leadership team.
Garrett Hales has been hired as estate director by Burgess Cellars, a Napa Valley winery founded by Tom Burgess in 1972 and acquired by the Lawrence Wine Estates in 2020.
“We’re very excited to welcome such an incredible talent to Burgess,” stated Lawrence managing partner Carlton McCoy Jr. “Garrett has a deep knowledge of luxury hospitality, from Michelin-starred restaurants to Napa Valley, and understands how to seamlessly blend creating those guest experiences for Burgess while upholding the winery’s roots and mission.”
Fine Wine Importer Demeine Estates is excited to announce that 2023 applications for their Dream It, Live It initiative are now open. Dream It, Live It is a professional partnership opportunity aimed at fostering inclusivity by supporting entrepreneurs in the wine industry. Following the initiative’s launch earlier this year, Demeine Estates is seeking one additional partner that has a focus on sustainability and climate action.
West Sonoma Coast Vintners is proud to announce the TTB’s approval of the newly established West Sonoma Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA). The West Sonoma Coast AVA is located within the westernmost portion of Sonoma County, holding approximately 50 vineyards planted with varieties ranging from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Syrah. The approval of the AVA recognizes the region’s unique maritime growing conditions that are clearly expressed in the wines and give proper distinction to the growers who farm this cold, marginal viticultural region.
Later in the symposium, on June 21 the “Social Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion” event will launch with Philana Bouvier, President, Demeine Estates, kicking off her mentorship on recruiting and increasing diversity. “Not only is this topic something very personal to me, it matters deeply to Demeine Estates,” says Bouvier. “If we are building long-term resilience, we must truly understand what these essential concepts mean – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. For instance—equity in opportunity does not mean equity of outcome. This journey matters: I recognize we must bear this journey with everyone inside and outside our organization. I look forward to learning collectively during our interactive workshop.“
Fine wine importer Demeine Estates is pleased to announce their latest import partnership with La Chablisienne of Burgundy. Located in the heart of Chablis, La Chablisienne is a cooperative winery established in 1923 and owned by a collection of 270 winegrowing families.
…
Celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, La Chablisienne remains grower-owned, without the involvement of any financial institution. During World War II, the winery was run by women and flourished under their stewardship. Today, the vineyard holdings total 1200 hectares, and include 82% of Chablis Grand Cru Chateau Genouilles. The winery produces 25% of the wine made in the Chablis AOC.
Reductive at first, this structured, complex and crisp wine shows a briney sea-spray character alongside green olive and pear. A rich midpalate shows its range of texture and restrained intensity, finishing smooth and supple in measured oak.
The last vintage produced by longtime winemaker Michael Chelini, the 2018 Chardonnay offers up bits of struck flint, a faint smokiness and hints of burnt custard, plus lemon and lime. It’s medium to full-bodied, round and mouth-filling but also zesty, taut and long with gentle phenolics on the finish. With only about 10% new oak used in this wine’s élevage, it’s a bit of an anachronism within Napa Valley.
Stony Hill’s 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon includes about 5% Merlot. Bottled about two years after the harvest, after maturation in 20% new oak, it displays vibrant cassis notes—there’s lovely purity to the fruit on the nose, plus some bay leaf and sage nuances. Full-bodied, dense and richly textured, it’s fully dry, firm, long and dusty. This is old school, cellar-worthy Cab, with an indicated alcohol level of just 14.1%.
The 2018 Chardonnay is bright and tense, but with striking texture as well as nuance. The blocked-mala style preserves quite a bit of energy, but there is a good deal of mid-palate pliancy and texture too. Lemon confit, sage, mint, almond and chamomile all grace this supple, racy Chardonnay from Stony Hill.
There’s intensity and purity to the core of green apple, lime and pear flavors in this distinctive version, with a sea salt backbone to the notes of makrut lime leaf, matcha green tea and fresh clipped herbs on the finish. Drink now. 1,100 cases made.
This shows a typical Spring Mountain fruit profile, offering a toothy edge to its mix of red currant and plum paste flavors allied to a rusty iron hint, with charming aromatics of red tea and dried flowers. The iron note vibrates through the finish, while the fruit keeps pace. For those who like a touch of old school. Best from 2024 through 2035. 400 cases made.
Classic character of ripe black fruit with hints of vanilla, chocolate and a touch of leafiness. Mint, too. Full-bodied and round, showing a rather sleek approach on the palate, with a grip from the ripe, firm tannins. Long, velvety finish. This will develop beautifully in the bottle. Try after 2023.
This wine gains its light copper-pink color from red pinot noir grown in Les Riceys. The red fruit has a generous, honeyed sweetness, captured in a pretty rosé with elegant, tea-like smokiness that lasts.
This is a really racy and fine Siepi with currant, black-cherry and dark-chocolate character. It’s medium-to full-bodied with very long, intense tannins that are linear and fine-textured. Really builds on the palate. Super structure. Finesse with power. Try after 2024 and onwards.
See us in Wine Enthusiast
Demeine Estates is nominated for Importer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Star Awards! Follow us on Instagram or join our newsletter for more news.
See us in Wine Enthusiast
Demeine Estates is nominated for Importer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Star Awards! Follow us on Instagram or join our newsletter for more news.
Join our newsletter to receive the latest from Demeine Estates.