The winemaker of both wineries, Phillip Corallo-Titus, had been making Sonoma-Loeb’s wines since 1990 at Chappellet’s winery. In 2011, the Chappellet winery purchased Sonoma-Loeb Wines from Ambassador John Loeb.
#CHAPPELLET WINES PLUS#
Although not a huge winery, Chappellet makes about 60,000 cases annually, and it is the largest winery on Pritchard Hill this figure includes Chappellet’s wines from Sonoma-Loeb (15,000 cases), which it also owns.Ĭhappellet’s first commercial wine was its 1969 Cabernet Sauvignon that wine, plus the 1970 Cabernet Sauvignon that followed (made by Chappellet’s original winemaker, Phillip Togni) both received great reviews, and Chappellet’s reputation for Cabernet Sauvignons became established. As son Cyril Chappellet (who now runs the winery along with his sister Carissa) told me, “We were all by ourselves on Pritchard Hill for a long while,” but now several other wineries have joined them on Pritchard Hill’s steep, rocky slopes, including Bryant Family, Colgin Cellars, and Tim Mondavi’s Continuum Estate, to name a few. At that time, the Chappellets were among the first wineries to plant a vineyard on a high-elevation hillside. In 1967 Donn and Molly Chappellet followed the advice of André Tchellistcheff, California’s greatest winemaker, and purchased land on Pritchard Hill, high in the Vaca Mountains of eastern Napa Valley. I just finished tasting through its wines, and its most expensive wine retails for $59, with most of its wines well below that figure in fact, they start in the $20 range. This is the reason I’m singing the praises of Chappellet Winery right now. Why would most consumers pay a high amount of money for a wine they have not tried, and that has no track record? The thinking seems to be, “I have to charge a lot of money so people will know this is an important wine.” Yes, I know vineyard land costs a fortune in Napa Valley, but come on! Show a little humility, please. Usually it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon or a blend of Cab and other varieties. Wine Review Online - Chappellet: Fine Wines, Great Pricesĭon’t you get tired of seeing the latest “elite” California wine producer debut its brand-new wine at a retail price of $200 or more? It has become such a common occurrence-and not only in Napa Valley, but also in other parts of California-that I hardly pay attention to it any more (nor to the wines, for that matter).
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