It’s a crisp winter night in Napa in 2018.
There’s roast chicken in the oven. David Green and Maayan Koschitzky are standing at the counter in David’s kitchen, trying out a sample bottle of the 2016 Royal Prince Pinot Noir before dinner.
“What do you think?” asked David.
“Well, when are you bottling the next one?” said Maayan with a playful smirk.
“Um, well in three months,” said David.
“Good, we’ve got time to fix it.”
With a hearty laugh, the seed of an enduring partnership was planted. David Green, a dynamic wine industry veteran, and Maayan Koschitzky, one of the Napa Valley’s most revered winemakers, would soon join forces.
“You’re hired!” David continued.
“You can’t afford me,” Maayan shot back playfully.
Around this time, Maayan was ramping up his own brand, La Pelle wines, and David was able to make some introductions and use his own industry expertise to help his friend with his brand. It was clear that a synergy was emerging. Soon David would buy out his investors in Royal Prince Wines and invite Maayan to become an equity partner.
“Maayan has all the reasons to be a primadonna, but he’s not,” says David. The duo work so well together, they launched additional brands under the Royal Wine & Spirits umbrella, including Slam Dunk, Ride and Ridden, and Slate. All of the wines met with immediate acclaim.
David Green and Maayan Koschitzky have an enviable rolodex. Between the two of them, they have contacts at hundreds of the best wineries in Napa and Sonoma Counties, and monthly contact with at least 50. This places them at the front of the line for new sourcing opportunities, whether it’s for prime vineyard contracts or a blue-chip winery with five or six more barrels of coveted Cabernet than they know they can sell.
On-Scene, Real-time Knowledge
Maayan’s role as Director of Winemaking for Atelier Melka finds him making the rounds in the vineyards of nearly every AVA in Napa and Sonoma Counties, from the pop of the first Pinot Noir bud in Russian River Valley all the way through the season until the last Cabernet Sauvignon berry is picked on Howell Mountain.
What this means is that he has a running list in his mind of the best-performing AVAs in the North Coast, even before harvest begins. In this way Maayan can focus his energies on the very best-performing sites and “sweet spots” when choosing fruit and wines to buy for the Royal Prince label.
Big, bold and racy, this Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense purple, almost opaque hue and offers up an electrifying bouquet dark red, blue and black fruits with notes of tobacco leaf, graphite and spicy oak. Opulent and layered it flexes its power but is framed by refreshing acidity with silky, sweet tannins. The 2021 displays loads of potential for being enjoyed in its youth, while also rewarding patience over the following decade. For bang for your buck, you can’t find better, or as Robb Report states, “Royal Prince is making the best wines you can buy for your money right now.”
Review:
Made by Maayan Koschitzky (of Atelier Philippe Melka), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is all varietal brought up in French oak. Its deeper ruby/plum hue is followed by a classic Cabernet Sauvignon nose of cassis and black cherries supported by plenty of sappy herbs, graphite, and obvious minerality. This medium-bodied, lively, elegant Cabernet has ripe, building tannins, a good spine of acidity, and outstanding length. Drink this classic, impeccably made 2021 over the coming 10–12 years, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it evolve longer. (Jeb Dunnuck)
-Jeb Dunnuck 93+ Points
Domaine Michel Magnien has evolved into a Burgundy producer of a singular style and philosophy from cellars located in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. In 1993, Frédéric Magnien persuaded his father Michel to begin domaine bottling. The domaine is now certified biodynamic by Demeter and the wines are produced without the use of new oak.
The domaine’s 45 acres are spread across the villages of Morey-Saint-Denis, Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny, and Vosne Romanée, with holdings in several premier cru and grand cru vineyards. These include the grand crus Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, and Charmes-Chambertin. Frédéric Magnien maintains an average vine age of 50 years.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru "Climats d'Or" is a blend of five premier crus in the village of Morey-Saint-Denis: Cheseaux, Charrières, Clos Baulet, Chaffots, Monts Luisants. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks followed by several months aging in half terracota amphora & half used pièce. Around 20% whole clusters were included in the cuvée.
Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru "Climats d'Or" combines the structure of Gevrey-Chambertin with the perfume of Chambolle-Musigny. This wine shows fresh red berries on the nose with notes of violets, spice, and earth. Old vines and heavier soils give this wine weight and richness on the palate.
Red Burgundy might be the world’s most flexible food wine. The wine’s high acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, and low tannins make it very food friendly. Red Burgundy, with its earthy and sometimes gamey character, is a classic partner to roasted game birds, grilled duck breast, and dishes that feature mushrooms, black truffles, or are rich in umami.
Thorn Clarke William Randell Shiraz is made from 100 percent Shiraz
The William Randell range of wines were created in honor of our family ancestor - the esteemed pioneer William Richard Randell (1824 - 1911). The wines are sourced solely from grapes grown on our estate vineyards. Wines in this range are only made in exceptional vintages.
Deep red with inky purple hues. This classic Barossa style shows rich blackberry, licorice, spice plum and smoky oak on the nose. The palate is dense with ripe mulberry and berry compote and generous supporting oak. The tannins are savory and long with spicy refined finish
Following harvest the fruit was crushed into a variety of small fermenters (4 to 6T in capacity). Fermentation was carried out at a warm temperature (25-28 degrees ). The ferments were manually pumped over to provide good control of tannin extraction. Each fermenter was treated as a separate parcel of wine and once dry was filled to American oak (40% new). Following malolactic fermentation the wines were racked and returned to the same oak. Parcels remained in barrel for an average of 18 months prior to blending. Only the best barrels from the multiple parcels were used to make the final blend. Once blended the wine was prepared for bottling.