James MacPhail makes some of the most delicious California Pinot Noirs that I have ever had. And I am going to take him at his word that this transaction combining his winery with Sequana, a Pinot powerhouse of the Hess Family will preserve everything that makes his wines so special. I think I can trust him, as MacPhail has been Sequana’s winemaker since it was founded in 2007.
Although both wineries have modest production (MacPhail produces around 4,000 cases per year; Sequana has produced around 11,000,) I am a little concerned that a combined operation may shift more towards a serious business than a family winery. On the other hand, MacPhail’s success has been his ability to personally control every step of the process that leads to his Pinots — on either label. Maybe a stronger combined business built on that concept isn’t a bad thing. Congratulations to James MacPhail. I look forward to many more wines from you in the future.
Other Hess brands include The Hess Collection and Artezin in California; Australian’s Peter Lehmann of the Barossa; Amalaya and Colome in Argentina; Glen Carlou in South Africa.
Former USA Today reporter Doug Levy lives in New York City and spends a lot of his free time searching for great food and wine. As a PR pro, he specializes in healthcare and life sciences. Doug enjoys sharing his culinary observations which you can also read on his personal blog at Food and Wine World.
