Colgin Cellars

Ann Colgin first visited Napa Valley in 1988, when her mentor invited her to the Napa Valley Wine Auction; at the time she was married to Fred Schrader. A few years later, Ann Colgin and Fred Schrader founded Colgin Cellars, and the winery's early releases were sold under the name Colgin Schrader. Colgin and Schrader later dissolved their partnership and marriage; Ann Colgin retained Colgin Cellars, and Fred Schrader went on to found Schrader Cellars. One of Ann Colgin's first decisions was to hire Helen Turley as winemaker, with David Abreu as vineyard manager. Fruit for the first wine was sourced from the Herb Lamb vineyard, a north-facing site surrounded by a conifer forest on the lower slopes of Howell Mountain; the first release drew on 13 rows in the vineyard's 'sweet spot,' and Colgin selected fruit from the upper rows of the site for sixteen vintages, from 1992 to 2007. The first vintage, the 1992 'Herb Lamb,' was released in 1995. The Herb Lamb vineyard is today owned by Jennifer Lamb; Herb Lamb died in 2014.

• 1988: Ann Colgin, then married to Fred Schrader, attends the Napa Valley Wine Auction
• 1992: Ann Colgin and Fred Schrader found Colgin Cellars; early releases sold as Colgin Schrader. Helen Turley hired as winemaker, David Abreu as vineyard manager
• First wine sourced from 13 rows of the Herb Lamb vineyard on the lower slopes of Howell Mountain, used from 1992 to 2007; the 1992 'Herb Lamb' was released in 1995
• Colgin and Schrader's marriage and business partnership later ended; Fred Schrader went on to found Schrader Cellars

Helen Turley made Colgin's wines from the first, 1992 vintage until she left the winery at the beginning of April 1999; Ann Colgin described the split as a 'mutual feeling that it was time to go our different ways.' As of 1999, Turley held no equity in Colgin. Mark Aubert, who had succeeded Turley once before at Peter Michael Winery, was named in April 1999 to replace her at Colgin and later left to concentrate on his own brand. Allison Tauziet joined Colgin Cellars in 2005 as assistant winemaker and is the estate's current Director of Winemaking. David Abreu has managed Colgin's vineyards since the winery's founding. Four people lead the estate today: Ann Colgin (Founder and Chairwoman), Joe Wender (CEO), Neil Bernardi MW (COO) and Allison Tauziet (Director of Winemaking); at the time of the November 2017 LVMH announcement, the winery's team was led by Ann Colgin and Joe Wender together with COO Paul Roberts and winemaker Allison Tauziet.

• Helen Turley: winemaker from the first, 1992 vintage until leaving at the start of April 1999; held no equity in Colgin as of 1999
• Mark Aubert: named in April 1999 to replace Turley; later left to focus on his own wine brand
• Allison Tauziet: joined 2005 as assistant winemaker; is Colgin's current Director of Winemaking
• David Abreu: vineyard manager since the winery's founding
• Current leadership: Ann Colgin (Founder and Chairwoman), Joe Wender (CEO), Neil Bernardi MW (COO), Allison Tauziet (Director of Winemaking); COO Paul Roberts was named in the November 2017 LVMH announcement

Colgin works three current vineyard sites. Tychson Hill sits north of the town of St. Helena at 300 to 422 feet elevation, on weathered volcanic rock with reddish brown stones and obsidian; it totals 6 acres (2.42 hectares) today. Vines were first planted on the site in the 19th century; Josephine Tychson planted the property in 1881 and became the first woman to build a winery in Napa Valley, before the vineyard was removed during Prohibition. Ann Colgin purchased the site and began replanting it with heritage clones of Cabernet Sauvignon in the mid-1990s, naming it for Josephine Tychson; a further parcel was added in 2007 and a final piece of Josephine Tychson's original land in 2014. The first Colgin vintage from Tychson Hill was 2000. IX Estate lies in the Pritchard Hill area overlooking Lake Hennessey, at 1,100 to 1,400 feet elevation on well-drained reddish clays with weathered igneous rock; Colgin purchased the 125-acre parcel in 1998 and began planting a 20-acre vineyard the same year; the vines planted in 2000 included 4 acres of Syrah from Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage clones, reflecting Ann Colgin's love of Northern Rhône wine. The winery was built on the property in 2002, the same year Colgin produced its first IX Estate and IX Estate Syrah. Cariad, in the western hills of St. Helena at 400 to 500 feet elevation on volcanic stony soils with gravelly alluvium, is sourced under a long-term lease from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch, with small additional lots historically drawn from the Thorevilos (now Ecotone) Vineyard, just below Howell Mountain, and the Lucia Abreu Vineyard, on Howell Mountain; its vines were planted in the early 1980s, and the first Cariad vintage was 1999. Cariad takes its name from the Welsh word for love.

• Tychson Hill: 6 acres (2.42 ha), north of St. Helena, 300-422 ft elevation, weathered volcanic rock; first Colgin vintage 2000; parcels added in 2007 and 2014
• IX Estate: 125-acre parcel purchased 1998 in the Pritchard Hill area overlooking Lake Hennessey, 1,100-1,400 ft elevation; 20 acres planted, including 4 acres of Syrah from Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage clones; winery built and first vintage 2002
• Cariad: sourced under long-term lease from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch, western hills of St. Helena, 400-500 ft elevation; vines planted early 1980s; first vintage 1999; name is Welsh for 'love'
• Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate on the estate: 'The IX Estate is as close to a viticultural nirvana as I have ever seen'

Colgin's current lineup is four wines: Tychson Hill (a Cabernet Sauvignon), Cariad, IX Estate and IX Estate Syrah, plus the more recently introduced Jubilation. Blend proportions vary by vintage: the 2016 IX Estate was 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cariad 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot and 8% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Cariad 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot, and the 2015 IX Estate Syrah 100% varietal. Grapes are hand-sorted in the vineyard through the growing season and hand-sorted again at the winery, a process supplemented since 2017 by an optical sorter; much of the wine is fermented in stainless steel, with certain varieties fermented in barrel. Jubilation is blended from barrels that showed the estate's characteristic elegance and complexity on a more approachable frame after the single-vineyard wines were finished; its inaugural bottling, from the 2016 vintage, was released in late 2020. Colgin also produced a wine called Herb Lamb from 1992 to 2007, sourced from the Herb Lamb vineyard on the lower slopes of Howell Mountain; the estate describes it as a wine of charm and perfume, with notes of blue fruits and mint.

• Four current wines: Tychson Hill, Cariad, IX Estate and IX Estate Syrah, plus Jubilation
• Vintage-specific blends: 2016 IX Estate 68% Cabernet Sauvignon/15% Cabernet Franc/10% Merlot/7% Petit Verdot; 2016 Cariad 60%/20%/12%/8% of the same four; 2015 Cariad 53% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Merlot/8% Cabernet Franc/9% Petit Verdot; 2015 IX Estate Syrah 100% varietal
• Hand-sorted in the vineyard and again at the winery, plus an optical sorter introduced in 2017; fermented mostly in stainless steel, with some varieties fermented in barrel
• Jubilation: inaugural bottling from the 2016 vintage, released late 2020, blended from barrels showing the estate's elegance and complexity on a more approachable frame
• Herb Lamb: produced 1992-2007 from the Herb Lamb vineyard on the lower slopes of Howell Mountain

In November 2017, Ann Colgin and her husband, Joe Wender, agreed to sell a 60 percent stake in Colgin Cellars to LVMH; the price was not disclosed. Colgin and Wender retained the other 40 percent and their leadership roles. Colgin became a strategic partner of LVMH and Bernard Arnault and a member of LVMH's Vins d'Exception group, the only American wine in a portfolio that also includes Château Cheval Blanc, Château d'Yquem and Domaine du Clos des Lambrays. Announcing the partnership, Bernard Arnault said, 'I am delighted to welcome Colgin's unique heritage into LVMH, reaffirming our strategy of partnering with the best terroirs, and enriching our collection of iconic wines.' In 2005, Robert M. Parker Jr. named Colgin Cellars 'One of the Fifty Greatest Wine Estates in the World.' Robert Parker at The Wine Advocate wrote, 'The IX Estate Syrah is one of the most compelling Syrahs ever made in California,' and the wines have also drawn praise from Robb Report, Antonio Galloni at Vinous, Jay McInerney at The Wall Street Journal, and Serena Sutcliffe, Master of Wine, at Sotheby's Wine. In 2017, around the time of the LVMH deal, Colgin's total annual production was approximately 4,000 cases, sold exclusively to mailing-list members and to high-end restaurants and retailers, with bottle prices exceeding $500.

• November 2017: LVMH agreed to buy a 60 percent stake in Colgin Cellars; Ann Colgin and Joe Wender retained 40 percent and their leadership roles; price undisclosed
• Colgin is the only American wine in LVMH's Vins d'Exception group, alongside Château Cheval Blanc, Château d'Yquem and Domaine du Clos des Lambrays
• 2005: Robert M. Parker Jr. named Colgin 'One of the Fifty Greatest Wine Estates in the World'
• Critical praise has come from Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate, Robb Report, Antonio Galloni of Vinous, Jay McInerney of The Wall Street Journal and Serena Sutcliffe MW of Sotheby's Wine
• 2017: approximately 4,000 cases produced annually, sold exclusively through the mailing list and to select restaurants and retailers, with bottle prices exceeding $500

Colgin offers a limited number of privately arranged visits each season. Given the small scale of the estate and its limited production, visits are reserved for those the winery considers to have a sincere interest in learning more about Colgin Cellars, and each request is reviewed individually. Access to the wines begins through seasonal allocations to mailing-list members, with a wait list to join due to strong demand; over time, clients may also be invited to estate visits and gatherings. Beyond the winery, Ann Colgin remains active in the art and auction world, serving on the board of LACMA in Los Angeles and as a consultant to Sotheby's Wine Department; Colgin has also donated verticals and large-format bottles to charity wine auctions supporting causes including healthcare and community services.

• Visits are by private arrangement only, limited each season and reviewed individually, given the estate's small scale and limited production
• Wine access begins through seasonal allocations to mailing-list members; a wait list exists to join due to demand
• Ann Colgin serves on the board of LACMA in Los Angeles and as a consultant to Sotheby's Wine Department
• Colgin has donated verticals and large-format bottles to charity wine auctions supporting healthcare and community-service causes

Primary sources (producer's own site, fetched as raw page text via curl, not a summarizing tool; colgincellars.com returns an HTTP 403 Cloudflare bot-challenge to direct curl requests as of this writing, so pages were retrieved as archived captures, dated 2025-12-21 unless noted, via the Internet Archive Wayback Machine): https://www.colgincellars.com/, /history/, /vineyards/, /vineyards/tychson-hill/, /vineyards/ix-estate/, /vineyards/cariad/, /wines/, /wines/tychson-hill/, /wines/cariad/, /wines/ix-estate/, /wines/ix-estate-syrah/, /wines/herb-lamb/ (2025-06-18 capture), /appointments/, /journey/. Secondary sources: Wine Spectator, 'Napa's Colgin Cellars Sells Majority Stake to French Luxury Titan LVMH' (Nov 21, 2017) and 'Colgin Replaces Helen Turley with Mark Aubert' (Apr 15, 1999); Decanter, 'LVMH buys control of Napa winery Colgin Cellars'; The Napa Wine Project; The Wine Cellar Insider. Last verified 2026-10-12. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs; see conflicts.json for the Tychson Hill and IX Estate purchase-year discrepancies, the Tychson Hill planting-year internal inconsistency, and other noted differences. See escalations.json: the LVMH ownership stake is an affiliation/ownership-framing fact that requires Seth's review before this article is installed, per the project's AFFILIATION-FRAMING rule.