Buoncristiani Family Winery

Buoncristiani Family Winery is a Napa Valley winery founded in 1999 by four brothers who grew up in the area. All have experience working for other producers before and since, and collectively they still run all aspects of the business from viticulture to label design.

The winery is, apart from the crush pad, fully subterranean, one of four operations located in The Caves at Soda Canyon in the Stags Leap District. Fruit is sourced from vineyards managed by Buoncristiano, and other growers whose viticultural methodologies fit the company philosophy. Quantities of each wine are small, and some are only available, initially at least, via the winery's mailing list.

The portfolio is led by the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, from fruit grown on hillside plots in Howell Mountain and Coombsville. The various lots are kept separate during fermentation, then blended in several phases to ensure maximum complexity, with a little Malbec added to the final wine. In total it spends 20 months in French oak barrels, and is then bottled unfined and unfiltered. The best barrels of Cabernet Sauvignon in the best years may be selected for a release named The Core; the 2014 release received a rating of 98+ from Robert Parker Jr.

OPC is a red blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with a little Malbec and Merlot, also aged for 20 months in French oak. A Napa Valley Malbec bottling comes from blocks in the Eastern Vaca Mountain range, while the fruit for the Artistico Syrah comes from vineyards above Oakville and in Oak Knoll District sees 17 months in French oak, with 40 percent new wood. Reflecting their North Italian heritage Buoncristiano also make small amounts of Dolcetto.

The current lineup is completed by a Syrah-Malbec Rosato, a Napa Valley Chardonnay for which 65 percent of the blend does not undergo malolactic fermentation, partly barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, a blend of those two grape varieties with Viognier, and a grappa.