Wine Spectator has learned that famed Napa grapegrower David Abreu and Trinchero Family Estates (TFE) have agreed to partner on a new wine brand in the TFE portfolio using grapes grown from Abreu’s four Napa Valley vineyards. The deal links one of Napa’s top names in vineyards with one of its most respected companies.
Abreu is a third-generation farmer who founded Abreu Vineyards in 1980. He also consults on grapegrowing for some of the wine world’s top brands, planting and farming vineyards for names including Spottswoode, Harlan and Bryant. With Brad Grimes in charge of winemaking since 2005, Abreu’s own wines have garnered multiple scores of 95 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale.
“[This] is a big deal for us,” TFE’s CEO Bob Torkelson told Wine Spectator. TFE has been acquiring grapes from Abreu since 2021 and incorporating them into the Trinchero Napa Valley wine program. Torkelson believes the Trinchero and Abreu families are both “Napa stalwarts” that have been developing a mutual respect for a decade.
He sees the new brand with Abreu as a key part of TFE’s newly announced Heritage Division, its luxury wine portfolio. They plan to launch the new brand using grapes from the 2024 vintage. “The most important thing is the fruit,” said Torkelson. “And no detail escapes David [in the vineyard].”
TFE is one of the world’s largest family-owned wine companies, encompassing more than 50 wine and spirits brands. The company was founded in 1948 by Italian immigrant Mario Trinchero when he moved to Napa Valley from New York City and purchased an abandoned Prohibition-era winery in St. Helena named Sutter Home. Today its Napa wineries include Trinchero Napa Valley, Napa Cellars and Neyers Vineyards. It also owns Ménage à Trois, is a partner in Joel Gott Wines and imports brands such as Famiglia Cotarella, Ceretto, Bodegas Terras Gauda and Echo Bay.
Making Cabernet Sauvignon from Top Napa Spots
Abreu owns four Cabernet vineyards in Napa Valley—Madrona Ranch, Thorevilos, Cappella and Las Posadas—with 85 planted acres between St. Helena and Howell Mountain. In 2021, TFE purchased grapes from Las Posadas, and TFE winemaker Landon Donley vinified them. “David was impressed with [what] Landon crafted and saw something,” said Torkelson.
For TFE, securing fruit from those vineyards was “phase one.” Next is crafting a name, a shared vision for the brand and a style for the wine. The plan for now is to produce one wine, though that could change. Abreu and Grimes will consult on the new project, and Donley will be the winemaker. Donley has recently created the new Quattro Theory line of wines for TFE. The Abreu Vineyards wines are not part of the TFE portfolio and will continue to be owned and operated by Abreu.
“This is very exciting,” said Abreu in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with the Trincheros, who have been so committed and engaged within the Napa Valley.”
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