Brandon Gregory Brookshire Vineyard Merlot Knights Valley 2022

Just a stone's throw away from Calistoga to the west lies the sleeping giant Sonoma AVA of Knights Valley. Despite receiving appellation status in 1983, the area remains rural and remote, reminiscent of Napa Valley decades ago with its rustic, rolling acres of vineyards and only two tasting rooms. If you're a fan of Peter Michael, you know the terroir of Knights Valley well, yet outside of larger wineries, the region is relatively untapped by smaller producers. Nevertheless, folks like Sky Devil and Chiron have hit the market and shown the potential that lies beneath these ancient volcanic soils. Today, we're thrilled to share Brandon Gregory, the newest family-owned label to embrace Knights Valley, and join the campaign to elevate its reputation and bring more oenophiles into the know.

Named for vintners Brandon Muller and Gregory Roberts, this new estate was an afterthought in their journey to acquire a wine country home. After years of collecting wine and dreaming of a second home nestled within acres of vineyards, the couple began their search and, through colleagues in the real estate world, were introduced to Knights Valley. They fell in love with the pastoral feel and rugged landscapes and purchased their initial parcel of 621 acres in 2017. They soon learned that the land was prime real estate for grapevines, so they planned a 22-acre vineyard planting named Helena Vista. For some vintners, one property and vineyard would be sufficient. Still, Brandon and Gregory's adoration for Knights Valley grew, and they quickly added a historic 565-acre ranch with a 40-acre vineyard to their estate named Brookshire Vineyard, intending to enter the wine industry in a full-fledged way.

In the organic progression of one in the wine business, though, Brandon toyed with the idea of siphoning off the best of their vines to craft a wine under a family label. So, he experimented with a homemade wine in 2018 sourced from his favorite block of Cabernet in the Brookshire Vineyard under the tutelage of their soon-to-be winemaker, Julien Fayard. All it took was one vintage, and they were hooked, ready to open this next chapter of their lives as coveted grape growers and, more importantly, red wine producers. Julien brings expertise to Brandon Gregory Estate, a cut above the rest. Before acting as Director of Winemaking for Atelier Melka, Julien worked for the prestigious Châteaus Lafite-Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafite. As a result, his repertoire expanded across Old-World and New-World techniques, and after leaving Atelier Melka, he launched his personal consultancy to put this know-how to use. Between Julien Fayard and vineyard manager legend Jim Barbour (whose client list has included Hundred Acre, Checkerboard, and Alejandro Bulgheroni), the Brandon Gregory Estate is launching into the stratosphere.

Their Merlot is grown on a steep, terraced vineyard plot at the base of Mount Saint Helena, where the grapes bask in the afternoon sunlight. The warmth of this extended time in the sun and the vineyard's red hill clay soil makeup are prime conditions for growing Merlot. The Brandon Gregory is 100% Merlot, powerful and full-bodied. Black plum and red fruits dominate the spectrum of aromas, with an intriguing range of spice, roasted coffee, and earth notes. Natural acidity balances the intensity and depth of the rounded, velvety tannins and lingers into a long finish— only 50 cases produced.