Ann Colgin has played an integral role in propelling California’s into the conversation that revolves around the world’s elite wines.

She founded Colgin Cellars in 1992 with a simple goal: to make world-class wines sourced solely from exceptional growing sites in Napa Valley. In doing so, she helped establish new standards of quality for the region. Her dreams have been realized as Colgin is today one of the most coveted wines in Napa.

In 2002, Ann finished construction of her IX Estate (number 9). Overlooking Lake Hennessey near St.Helena, this 20-acre estate, with its gentle rolling hills is simply breathtaking. Befitting the quality of her wines, she constructed an exceptional estate, with vines planted to maximize the exceptional terroir and ultra-modern winemaking facilities which works entirely by gravity. “(It’s) as close to a viticultural nirvana as I’ve ever seen,” was Robert Parker’s comment after his first visit.

Allison Tauziet is in charge of winemaking, with the help of celebrated oenologist Alain Raynaud, while the vines are under the watchful eye of David Abreu. Today, Colgin Cellars makes four cuvées, with a syrah and a Bordeaux blend coming exclusively from the IX Estate’s vineyards. The other two wines are the Cariad, made with grapes sourced from Abreu’s own vineyards, the renowned Madrona Ranch, and a cabernet sauvignon sourced from the Tychson Hill Vineyard. Her cabernet sauvignon “Herb Lamb Vineyard,” made between 1992 and 2007, are some of the most sought after wines in the world.

David Abreu grew up in Napa. His family have been farming grape vines in the region well before Napa achieved the fame that is has today. He is a grape grower in the truest sense of the word. It runs in his veins. Over the years, his attention to the most minute detail in his farming has earned him the reputation for producing some of the region’s best grapes. He has sold his grapes and/or was the head of viticulture for many of Napa’s most renowned wineries: Colgin, Screaming Eagle, Bryant amongst others. Since 1993, he has kept a part of his grape production for his own Abreu Vineyards label, which is run by Brad Grimes.

The total production is barely 2000 cases a year. Abreu’s bottlings, Thorevilos, Madrona Ranch, Los Posadas and Cappella, are exceptionally hard to find. They are considered by many to be the very best wines not only in Napa, but in the world. His cuvée Rothwell Hyde is a blend of grapes and barrels sourced from his four growing sites, and is his version of a “second vin.” His five cuvées are all Bordeaux blends, predominately cabernet sauvignon but he is using more and more cabernet franc.

The fruit of exceptional viticulture in the most fabled terroirs of Napa, guided by Brad Grime’s precision winemaking, tasting any of Abreu’s wines is a unique experience. The wines are powerful, but are the liquid definition of balance and they show a complexity which tests the limits of wine vocabulary.