NAPA, Calif. (October 19, 2020) –BRION, the flagship Napa Valley winery from Brion Wise, announced its production facility and tasting room debut. BRION is dedicated to producing site-specific, terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon, expressed through a collection of small-lot, handcrafted wines from unique single-vineyard sites in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.
The announcement coincides with the October 15 releases of the winery’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignons from Sleeping Lady Vineyard and Oakville Ranch.
“It has been my vision and commitment to create high quality, terroir-driven wines with a true sense of spirit and place,” said Wise, who distinguishes his first name from his winery’s, which is spelled in upper case letters. “Working with some of the industry’s most celebrated farming and winemaking talents, BRION seeks to capture the essence of the single-vineyard sites from which they are sourced and reflect their distinct characteristics in every vintage.”
BRION currently focuses on sites from four diverse appellations in Napa Valley and Sonoma – Yountville, Oakville, Coombsville and Moon Mountain – selected for their inimitable soils and superior farming as well as their ability to produce wines of intense, concentrated flavor and aromatics that reflect place above all else.
The winemaking team is unique in that it is made up of three well-established winemakers – Julien Fayard, Mark Herold and Massimo Monticelli – each focused on interpreting the individual vineyard sites that fall under their respective purviews. Wise’s decision to pair winemakers with a specific vineyard site is rooted in his belief that great wine can only result from an intimate vintner relationship with the land. Terroir includes the unique imprint of the winemaker, so matching the right vineyard with the right winemaking personality was a paramount factor in developing the BRION winemaking philosophy.
Julien Fayard is responsible for interpreting the Sleeping Lady Vineyard in the Yountville AVA. Mark Herold handles the Caldwell Vineyard from the Coombsville AVA as well as the Oakville Ranch Vineyard wine from the Oakville AVA. Massimo Monticelli is responsible for the B. Wise Moon Mountain Estate wine from Sonoma Valley’s Moon Mountain AVA.
BRION, located on Sleeping Lady Vineyard just south of downtown Yountville, sits at the base of Mount Veeder in a region that is synonymous with the finest Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The extraordinary 46-acre property encompasses a restored ‘bank’ barn, one of two in California dating back to 1876. The 3,200 square-foot gravity flow winery is dedicated solely to the vinification of BRION wines. The winery was built to ensure that every step of the winemaking process measures up to BRION’s exacting standards and to afford its team of winemakers every resource needed to make the best possible wines from these vineyards.
BRION, located at 5537 Solano Avenue, is open for tastings by appointment. The BRION wines are currently made available via allocation twice yearly. Interested parties can join BRION’s allocation list to receive the Moon Mountain and Caldwell Vineyards wines in the spring; the Sleeping Lady Vineyard and Oakville wines are made available in the fall. BRION can be reached by calling 707.339.7686 or visiting www.brionwines.com.
