There are wine tastings, and then there are once-in-a-lifetime wine tastings. Recently, I was invited to Napa to meet the heads of Primum Familiae Vini (PFV) families. The setting was the gorgeous Antinori Estate in Atlas Peak. Founded in 1992, PFV consists of 12 of the most admired multi-generational European family wine producers. Together, they have 2,600 years of experience over 85 generations.
PFV was founded to ensure the continuity and sustainability of traditional family-owned wine businesses in an increasingly competitive, corporate-dominated world. Its aim is to encourage other family companies to preserve their independence and demonstrate that a family business can be a strong asset.
The group meets at one of the members’ vineyards and wineries once a year. This meeting in 2024 was spectacular and unique, as the group hadn’t been together in the US in over a decade. I was honored to be invited. Here are my tasting notes from this very special tasting.
Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2015
Churchill was a loyal client of the Pol Roger brand for years, hence the name of this wine. Fun fact: the use of the “Sir Winston Churchill” name is solely a gentleman’s agreement with the family; no royalties are shared. The wine is shockingly fresh for spending 8-10 years on the lees before disgorgement. 7 g/L of residual sugar plus a firm acidic backbone frame this beautiful wine that any Champagne lover would enjoy having in their glass.
Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Grand Cru Marquis de Laguiche 2018
Drouhin gets all the grapes from this Grand Cru vineyard through another handshake agreement. Wines from Montrachet are considered some of the (if not the) best dry white wines in the world, and this wine is no exception. Dairy and toasted nuts deliver a lengthy, complex, and satisfying finish. This wine is a reference point for Chardonnay.
Famille Hugel Riesling Schoelhammer 2014
Varietal typicity with Riesling is non-negotiable. This wine delivers that and then some. Intoxicating fruit and petrol notes, plus a fresh palate that does not show its decade of age. The wine is not made every year, and according to Jean-Frédéric Hugel, who is at the helm of the 13th generation, “This wine will outlive everyone who made it.”
Familia Torres Grands Muralles DO Conca de Barberà 2012
Mostly Garnacha, Cariñena, and Monastrell, and some ancestral varieties. The nose delivers stewed fruits, a minty herb note, and tertiary notes with an understated palate—a meditation wine.
Marchesi Antinori Napa Valley Proficio 2019
70% Cabernet Sauvignon plus 30% Cabernet Franc. This is the first vintage of this wine from the Antinori Atlas Peak project. Green notes on the nose, including green bell pepper and jalapeño, give way to a muscular and tannic palate. Revisit in 5+ years for maximum enjoyment.
Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri DOC Sassicaia 2015
This wine, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Cabernet Franc, has dark, brambly fruit on the nose and palate. It was a warm vintage, so the wine is generous, and the fruit character is ripe. Fun fact: the Tenuta San Guido family is related to the Antinori family.
Tempos Vega Sicilia Unico DO Ribera del Duero 2010
Predominantly Tinto Fino (or Tempranillo) and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, this Unico wine is not to miss, no matter the vintage. Tertiary notes on the nose dominate – the smell of time in a glass. On the palate, the wine is “light” and delicate. Give it some time, and enjoy the delicacy—gorgeous bricking in the glass.
Famille Perrin Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009
An unmistakably Old World wine in the glass. Their vineyards have been farmed organically since the 50s and biodynamically since the 70s. Fruit on the nose still, but a bit restrained, plus graphite and pencil shavings. The palate is fresh for a 15-year-old wine, with a great backbone of acidity.
Baron Philippe de Rothschild Château Mouton Rothschild 2006
This mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blend with a touch of Merlot comes from one of the oldest continuously family-owned vineyards in Bordeaux. The nose gives dark, dried fruits plus herbaceousness. The palate is fresh, yet the wine is squarely aged with prominent tertiary notes.
Domaine Clarence Dillon Château La Mission Haut-Brion Magnum 1983
This vintage marks the year that the family purchased Château Haut-Brion. An exquisite wine and one you just want to sit with. Soft power mixed with elegance.
Egon Müller Scharzhof Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 2018
“Goldkapsel” indicated the best auslese of the vintage. Pure, gorgeous, and sexy. Sweetness balanced with applause-worthy acidity.
Symington Family Estate Graham’s Single Harvest Tawny Port 1997
A superb wine at its peak. Bottled in early 2024, this wine has a long life ahead. The wine never saw new wood and was aged in 50-60-year oak French and Hungarian barrels. Toasted nuttiness prevails, plus honey, orange blossom, dried fruit, potpourri, and membrillo. Brilliant.
Brianne Cohen is an LA based event producer, certified sommelier, wine educator, and wine writer. During the pandemic, Brianne entertained over 7,000 people through her “Virtual Vino” online wine classes, regularly highlighting diverse (i.e. Black, BIPOC, female, and LGBT) owned wineries. She now offers both in-person (and virtual) wine tasting experiences for her corporate clients. Brianne regularly judges at international wine competitions, including the International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London and holds the WSET Diploma certificate. She writes on her own blog and for outlets such as Decanter, Vintner Project, and Kiplinger. She also holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University. Brianne Cohen Wine & Events is a certified woman-owned business with WBENC.
