August 28, 2024 / Healdsburg, CA – Renowned veteran winemaker James MacPhail, known for crafting exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties, is excited to announce his reacquisition of MacPhail Family Wines from Hess Persson Estates.
For decades, MacPhail has been a distinguished name in the wine industry, reputable for his balanced, site expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from Northern California. In 2001, he founded MacPhail Family Wines, a boutique label devoted to crafting Pinot Noir from Anderson and Russian River Valleys. It wasn’t long before the brand earned a strong reputation for its critically-acclaimed wines.
In June of 2008, a wildfire in the Anderson Valley resulted in smoke taint in the grapes, leading MacPhail to make the difficult decision not to release the 2008 vintage. Due to this, coupled with the onset of the economic downturn, he faced the tough choice of either fighting to stay afloat or selling the brand.
During this time, MacPhail was making Pinot Noir for The Hess Collection (THC). The strong relationship he had forged with THC led to the mutual decision to sell the label to them in 2011. Confident that his namesake was in good hands, MacPhail continued to serve as the winemaker for MacPhail Family Wines, crafting the wines in his own facility for five more years. In 2016, MacPhail stepped away to pursue a career as an independent winemaker.
Today, MacPhail is the winemaker for eight brands, making wine at three facilities and sourcing fruit from over 70 esteemed, sustainably-farmed vineyard sites across eight AVAs. Although he doesn’t own any vineyards, MacPhail attributes his extensive experience and longevity to the strong relationships he’s built with growers and vineyard managers, helping him maintain a clear vision and strong foothold in an ever-changing industry.
Although MacPhail is busier than ever, he’s never forgotten his winemaking roots. MacPhail Family Wines was born from a fledgling, scrappy, young winemaker’s dream—a dream that brought as much joy to others as it did to him. Over the past 13 years, while he trusted MacPhail Family Wines was still in capable hands, he couldn’t stop thinking about having the brand back in his possession—not only for him, but for his family. His vision as a legacy for his two daughters, MacPhail hopes the pursuit to reclaim his brand reminds them just how powerful and transformative a passion can be.
The reacquisition of MacPhail Family Wines represents a pivotal moment in MacPhail’s life, allowing him to once again produce high quality, small-lot Pinot Noir under his own name. Moreover, MacPhail is set on bringing the brand back to its Anderson Valley roots, starting with fruit from the Toulouse Vineyard—the first vineyard he sourced from for his personal label. This transition will complement, rather than replace, the MacPhails’ personal boutique brand ‘Tongue Dancer Wines’—the direct-to-consumer-only label he and his wife Kerry started in 2012.
“Reacquiring MacPhail Family Wines is much more than a business decision—it’s a heartfelt return to my winemaking roots and a deeply personal family endeavor,” shares MacPhail. “This brand was always a labor of love, reflecting my passion for Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley. With this transition, I’m excited to refocus efforts on crafting distinctive Pinot Noir wines, starting with the first vineyard in Anderson Valley I made its wines from. I am grateful for Tim’s agreement to let me buy my brand back, and I am incredibly thankful for this full circle moment.”
About MacPhail Family Wines
Founded in 2001 by James MacPhail, MacPhail Family Wines is a boutique winery focused on crafting high quality, small-lot Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from distinctive sites spanning from the Eola-Amity Hills of Oregon to the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County. All of the wines are made in his own facility, located just 50 feet from his back door. The idea for the eponymous wagon label was inspired by watching his two daughters playing in the same wagon he used as a child. For MacPhail, that wagon represented a simpler time, and the importance of cherishing family traditions.
