"the impressively talented visionary Russell Bevan produces wines very much in his own bigger-than-life, boisterous image" Lisa Perrotti-Brown for WA Feb 2021
First founded by Russell Bevan and Victoria De Crescenzo in 2005, Bevan Cellars is a California sensation that has been on the rise towards cult status, due in large part by the personality and ethos of Bevan himself. In 2023, Lisa Perrotti-Brown playfully referred to founder Russell Bevan as a "Stampeding Rose," a vivid contrast to the more demure "shrinking violet," in order to capture his exuberant and larger-than-life persona. This mentality is mirrored in his bold approach to winemaking, with Bevan lauded by Robert Parker as an "impressively talented visionary." Best known for single vineyard and proprietary reds from Napa Valley, Bevan Cellars creates singular experiences that exude both asense of place and winemaking artisanship.
Bevan Napa & Sonoma Vineyard Expressions
The project first started in the quiet Sonoma Valley sub-appellation of Bennett Valley, but has since expanded to showcase sites throughout Sonoma and Napa Valley, with a focus on the Oakville sub-appellation. By choosing vineyards according to their particular expression, Russell Bevan ensures the resulting wines reflect the distinguished character of their terroir. To coax out the finest aromatics, winemaking is performed with thoughtful decision-making and gentle follow-through in order to createintensely flavorful and texturally compellingwines.
Bevan Cellars Critic Reviews
Though a fairly nascent winery, Bevan Cellars continues to catch the attention of consumers and critics. Many premium bottlings have received high praise from critics, including100-point scoresfrom Robert Parker and Jeb Dunnuck. Robert Parker compared the 2014 Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Red to Cheval Blanc, while Jeb Dunnuck referred to the 2018 Tench Vineyard, The Calixtro as “pure perfection…heavenly Cabernet that delivers bothintellectual and hedonistic pleasure in spades.” Theseshow-stopper Cabernet-based redsdrink with the same precision and spare-no-expense mentality as some of Napa Valley's top cult wines. The outright indulgence that can be experienced with such drinkable wines is worth exploration.