Estate of the Art

By: David Gadd, The SOMM Journal December 2017 / January 2018

WHEN FRENCH LUXURY FASHION BRAND Chanel purchased St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery from founder Robert Skalli in 2015, it acquired not only the charming Rutherford winery, but also more than 1,500 acres split between two Napa Valley estates with one-third planted to vines. The highly-regarded, Rutherford-based winery — founded in 1989 and named for a former owner of the property — became the first American acquisition for the fashion house, which also owns three celebrated Bordeaux estates: Château Rauzan-Ségla in Margaux and Château Canon and Château Berliquet in St-Émilion.

The choice of St. Supéry could not have been more appropriate. Like Chanel’s Bordeaux properties, St. Supéry draws on 100% estate fruit and is known for Bordelais varietals and blends: superb Sauvignon Blanc, magisterial Cabernet Sauvignon, and distinctively-delineated Merlot, as well as the Semillon–Sauvignon Blanc white blend Virtú and the Cabernet-driven red Bordeaux blend Élu. Michel Rolland consults on the wines, which are crafted by the experienced VP of Winemaking and Vineyards Michael Scholz …