Fairchild Wine - Combining Artistry with Single Site Expression
A recent addition to the Napa Valley wine scene, Fairchild Estate is a luxury wine producer featuring single vineyard expressions sourced solely from the region’s finest sites. Inspired by his vast interest in modern art, design, and fashion, founder Lawrence Fairchild set out to create an exclusive experience for his clients, all the way down to the glamorous tasting room, which is impeccably-designed with eclectic art and statement furniture pieces. This same care and thoughtfulness is likewise applied to the meticulous curation of small vineyard lots to source fruit from, and to the selection of a skilled winemaker to guide this project.
The Winemaker Behind Fairchild Wines
Bordeaux-native Phillipe Melka first fell into winemaking after his degree in geology at University of Bordeaux led him to nearby 1st growth ChâteauHaut-Brion for an internship to study the soils. After shifting his career path and earning a Masters in Agronomy & Enology, Melka began to work at famed Château Petrus, overseen by Christian Moueix. It was through this connection that Melka was able to make the leap over to Napa Valley, transitioning over to Moueix-owned Dominus, Yountville’s most prized wine producer. Melka continued on to accumulate experience worldwide, honing his craft and leaving a trail of 100-point wines in his path. Now with over 30 years of winemaking experience, Melka has become a living legend, sought out by Napa Valley’s top cult producers, including Hundred Acre, Bryant Family, and Dana Estate.
Fairchild Wine History & Terroir
The Fairchild portfolio expresses fruit sourced from Napa Valley’s most prestigious sites. The iconic Sigaro is distinctive for its structured Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from south-facing slopes of Pritchard Hill, the highly desirable vineyard space overlooking Lake Hennessey. The Stones series is a prized collection of single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Beckstoffer Las Piedras in St. Helena (Stones No. 1), Houyi Vineyard in Pritchard Hill (Stones No. 2), and Tench Vineyard in Oakville (Stones No. 3). The Beckstoffer GIII bottling is Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Beckstoffer Georges III vineyard located in Rutherford.
The historical site was first purchased by Georges de Latour, founder of Beaulieu Vineyards, in 1928. Vinified by André Tchelistcheff, the grapes from this site helped establish this iconic winery’s early reputation and the vineyard has since been considered one of California’s premium sites for Cabernet Sauvignon. Fairchild GIII wines reflect beautiful balance and ageability with extravagant black fruit alongside cigar box and refined tannins.
The many expressions of Fairchild’s artistry are a pristine exhibition of Napa Valley at its finest. They are endlessly collectible and worth exploration.
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