Colgin Cellars, situated in St. Helena, California, is a unique breed in the business, specializing in small production, hand-crafted ultra-premium red wines. Its wines are not only delightful to consume, but they are also a worthwhile investment. Hence, this is a wine/ winery name you should keep in your cellar. So, let’s see what you should know about Colgin Cellar wines, before purchasing them.
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They Are Picky With Their Consumers
Colgin Cellars has a unique approach to winemaking. Unlike other wineries that sell to retailers, this winery only sells to a restricted group of restaurants and 8,000 individual customers who are fortunate enough to be on its mailing list.
Ann Barry Colgin, who created the winery in 1992, has found success with this method. Colgin’s red wines, which include Bordeaux-style blends and Cabernet Sauvignon, have gained cult status among collectors and wine enthusiasts alike.
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Colgin Wine Loves Auctions
While Colgin does not produce wine to become an investment for her purchasers, she is possibly the only vineyard owner who knows how to run an auction better than she does. Colgin earned a master’s degree from New York University before working in Christie’s client services department. She went on to become the president of Fairchild’s Fine Art and is now a consultant for Sotheby’s Wine Department. She volunteers as a wine auctioneer at charity events in her leisure time.
Colgin presented a rare vertical of every vintage of Cariad produced thus far (1999-2006) in magnum, as well as a unique tasting at her home, for the 2010 Auction Napa Valley charity wine sale. Before the auctioneer learned there were three other bidders at that amount, the lot went for $250,000. Colgin kindly donated her property three times, generating $1 million for charity in the process. Given that the colgin wine was bottled in 2004, that’s a significant investment.
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They Have Their Signiture Caberent Sauvignon
Several Cabernet Sauvignon wines are produced by Colgin Cellars. Tychson Hill, Colgin IX, and Cariad are Herb Lamb, Tychson Hill, and Cariad. Colgin Cellars also produces one of Napa Valley’s best Syrah wines. Colgin Cellars’ wines are sold through their well-known mailing list.
Jubilation, a new early-drinking wine from Colgin, was released in 2020. Jubilation is a Cabernet-dominant blend made from a selection of young vines and barrels from all three of their hillside estates. The 2016 vintage is the first.
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The Label Is An Art Logo
Ann Colgin, a true renaissance woman, and vintner with exceptional enthusiasm are at the heart of Colgin Cellars. Her sophisticated, yet engaging attitude is a telling reflection of her wines and winery. She is a passionate art collector and dedicated philanthropist. Ann started Colgin Cellars in 1992 intending to produce the finest wines possible from excellent hillside vineyards in St. Helena, and she was essential in helping California’s small-production hand-crafted wines gain a worldwide reputation.
Ann began her career in fine art with an M.A. from New York University, then went on to become President of Fairchild’s Fine Art, Inc., before launching the Colgin label and expressing her artistry in the creation of her wines.
Each wine has its own personality, the result of a skilled, knowledgeable hand, similar to that of a painter.
- Winemakers’ Matriarchy
The Colgin Winery is located on the IX Estate, and it is overseen by master winemaker Allison Tauziet (Director of Winemaking at Colgin).
The grapes are soaked for around 25-30 days before being vinified. Fermentation is often carried out at temperatures ranging from fairly low to mid-twenty degrees Celsius.
The wines are then matured for about two years in 100% new French oak barrels. They’re then dispatched to be bottled with the least amount of racking possible. Colgin wine is the best $25 wine available online.
The consistency of the Colgin winemaking crew is a major component in the winery’s ability to continually exceed its quality standards.
