Philip Togni Vineyard
Philip Togni Vineyard is a Napa Valley producer, located 2000ft (600m) above sea level on a 4-hectare (10-acre) parcel on the Spring Mountain District sub-appellation. A small, family-run operation, the winery is self-contained, meaning that everything from vineyard management to winemaking, bottling, and shipping is done directly by Philip, his wife Birgitta, and their daughter Lisa. Philip Togni's age worthy Bordeaux style red blend is an excellent example of Spring Mountain Cabernet.
Togni was born and raised in England, and attended the University of Bordeaux where he studied under modern winemaking pioneer, Emile Peynaud. He went on to become the winemaker at Chalone Winery and made the famous 1969 vintage of Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon. He bought the Spring Mountain property in 1975, and planted it in 1981, with Birgitta attending to the vineyard, while Philip made the wine. Their first vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc were released in 1983. Today, daughter Lisa is the lead winemaker, after gaining much experience working harvests at Château Léoville-Barton in Saint-Julien, as well as in Australia.
Since the first release, Philip Togni has shifted focus to producing a Margaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Characteristic of Spring Mountain, the wine is quite tannic in its youth, and shows its elegance with age. For the impatient, the second label Tanbark Hill is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend made from younger vines on the property, and is more approachable in its youth. Additionally, there is a sweet wine in the style of Constantia called Ca' Togni. Total production at the winery is roughly 2000 cases each vintage.