KNA Wines began in 2002…

when Reg Oliver of El Molino offered to sell Kristof, then winemaker at Lewis Cellars, a small amount of ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon from his Star Vineyard in Rutherford. Kristof’s goal was to create his ultimate expression of Napa Valley Cabernet - PELLA Cabernet.

SANNA Sauvignon Blanc joins our offerings as an extraordinary cold-fermented expression of the varietal. Kristof often says Sauvignon Blanc is a winemaker’s wine, meaning you can judge a winemaker’s skill by the effort he or she puts into a wine that is just as difficult to craft, if not more so, than a more expensive Cabernet.

If Kristof is known for his red wines, he is equally well-known for his white varietals, such as Chardonnay & Pinot Grigio, which earned “Best Producer” citations in The Wine Bible. In the recent 3rd edition, his Chardonnays fall under the category of “wines of elegance and balance” and “really cool Chardonnays made in a pure, minimalist, not-overripe style.” It is not uncommon for confirmed haters of Chardonnay to fall in love with Kristof’s version, an imprint of the fruit without sugar or excess oak or, as he likes to put it, “wine that tastes like the grapes on the morning we pick.”

Seventy-five cases were bottled in 2022 from 100% Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc grapes, cold-fermented in stainless steel, with primary fermentation finishing around 4 weeks.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

Four barrels were handcrafted each year from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, from the renowned Star Vineyard, in the Rutherford appellation, located near La Luna Market & Taqueria. Star Vineyard was founded in 1978 by Reg Oliver and Ric Forman and farmed by Dave Abreu.

Each vintage spent two years in oak, using the (then) newly-offered Tonnellerie Demptos Barrique Reserve French oak barrel, since recognized for its maturing excellence due to its exceptionally fine grain. The wine was unfiltered and unfined.

Unlike many older vintages that fall apart quickly upon opening, we find that PELLA Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a rare vitality. We drink half a bottle, cork it & leave it on the kitchen counter, only to find that the wine has improved the next day. (Sorry Coravin!) Feel free to decant.

(2003):  The 2003 PELLA exhibits a rare youth & vitality for a California wine of its age, with many years left to cellar. Color is a deep, inky plum, with a nose of incense and sweet mahogany wood. A balanced, silky wine with bright, juicy acids & flavors of ripe strawberry and strawberry seed, PELLA Cabernet opens like a peacock’s tail-aromatics of cedar & redwood harmonizing with black fig, burnt sugar & resinous herbs-and finishes with luscious, creamy caramel on the palate. The result is a sophisticated and chic Cabernet in its prime-savory, powerful & elegant. (tasted 4/15/24)

“The unpredictable nature of the 2003 growing season began with a series of early heat spikes in March, followed by the wettest April on record. A long cool summer allowed the fruit flavors to evolve beautifully ahead of the sugar accumulation. Heat spikes in September helped move the harvest forward after many felt it would be a late year.” —Napa Valley Vintners Napa Valley Vintage Reports

(2004):  The 2004 PELLA is drinking impeccably, a powerful, dense wine with many years of cellaring ahead, yet a velvety softness, balance, & length that beckon enjoyment now. Gorgeous pine tree, umami, wild lavender honey, honeysuckle. Mouthwatering acidity, like biting into a ripe plum. The 2003-05 vintages in particular are currently exhibiting the archetypal “Rutherford dust” tannin structure, not a drying tannin so much as a pleasing wet clay, and the mouthfeel is round, rich, and creamy.  (tasted 4/15/24)

“Bud break occurred earlier than many vintners could remember and the trend carried forward throughout the growing season. Heat spikes occurred in June and at scattered intervals throughout the summer season. Grapes completed veraison early and ripeness with well developed sugars in all varieties was realized early. Growers held on as acid balance eventually caught up. Temperatures were steady into one of the earliest harvests in Napa Valley. Grape quality was very good with a crop that was smaller than average.”—Napa Valley Vintners Napa Valley Vintage Reports

(2005):  The 2005 PELLA is an elegant wine with mouthwatering boysenberry flavors, and a lingering, silken finish. One is reminded of chewing on a fresh rose petal, in the way tannins, acids & fresh sweetness interplay, a hallmark of Kristof’s winemaking style. A fragrant nose of honey comb, raisin box and tar in the glass. Flavors of crème brûlée, salted plum, resinous woods, star anise, cigar box, walnuts, nutmeg, & espresso abound. As with the other vintages, the multifaceted, lengthy evolution of flavors in the palate demands something from the drinker: cognition, full & present awareness & attention. (tasted 4/15/24)

“Winter rains took pause for a dry, mild March then began again with record-setting precipitation late into the growing season delaying bloom and set. The summer months were cool and pleasant with few heat spikes. Fog and cool temperatures were a concern heading into September as sugar levels were yet to rise in all varieties. Warm, nearly perfect conditions arrived with an Indian Summer making for a later than average harvest, providing winemakers with fruit with extended hang and ultimately realizing excellent sugar development and balanced acids with a larger than average crop of what could be a signature vintages from Napa Valley.” —Napa Valley Vintners Napa Valley Vintage Reports

(2006):  The 2006 PELLA moves on the palate with an impressive arc, like a firework in the night sky, rising, blooming, and falling in a satisfying way. Pronounced aromatics of red apple, honeycomb, sweet tobacco, & cedar. The ‘06 flavor profile is neatly summed up by Kristof as “biting into a juicy red apple.” The wine will change over the course of an hour, as complex flavors of citrus peel, salt, ripe plum, cassis, raspberry, black tea, & dried mushroom emerge in an elegant, balanced, powerful wine with wave upon wave of beautiful & intellectually-engaging flavor. (tasted 4/15/24)

“The 2006 harvest finished in early November and will go down as a 'grower's year' as vintners were faced with a variety of challenges from New Year flooding to wet weather that continued late into spring delaying budbreak. By early June, the sun came out and vines began to bloom and set fruit. Mid-July presented a record-setting ten day heat wave, but the canopy had not yet been thinned because of the delayed season and young clusters were shaded from the hot sun. Most growers agreed that the heat helped catch the vines up to a "normal" place in the growing season. Somewhat cooler weather arrived in August and continued throughout harvest, allowing for moderately paced and deliberate ripening and a long harvest period. Cool weather dominated early October, with rain coming in the first week, but the white varieties were in and this presented no damage to the black varieties still on the vine.”—Napa Valley Vintners Napa Valley Vintage Reports

(2007):  The 2007 PELLA greets the palate with intense aromatics of powdered cocoa, raspberry, macaron, espresso, tobacco leaves, menthol, and fresh, lively, herbaceous forest air. A polished, silky wine with complex layers of fresh, acidic boysenberry, chocolate-covered cherry, umami, cold-brew coffee with cream, and anise, the ‘07 vintage entices the drinker to sip with awe, enjoying a long flavor arc. Enjoy now or cellar for years to come. (When tasted 4/15/24, this was Kristof’s favorite wine in the vertical. That has never been the case before.)

“The valley floor crop, including most of the black varieties, was almost fully harvested when unseasonably cool and wet weather arrived the second week in October, with nearly an inch of rain falling in parts of the appellation. The hillside and higher elevation vineyards still had anywhere from 25-50% of their crop on the vine, but while the rain was just enough to penetrate several inches into the soil, not enough to get to the root zone of most vineyards. Indian Summer returned with warm, clear days and vineyard crews sprang into action to finish harvest for what appears to be a vintage of exceptional quality from all points around the Napa Valley.”—Napa Valley Vintners Napa Valley Vintage Reports

Visiting Napa Valley? You can find PELLA Cabernet Sauvignon, Star Vineyard, Rutherford, on the Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning list at PRESS Restaurant in St. Helena and at Bear, Stanly Ranch Auberge Resort. For more information on wine availability, please click here.

For press packets, industry discounts, restaurant inquiries & FOB pricing, please contact Jennifer at jennifer@knawines.