“Kenward and Ames source fruit from some of Napa Valley’s very finest sites for these rich, sumptuous wines. In fact, in some cases, site is really what comes through most in the wines. I am thinking in particular of some of the wines from Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard I saw this year.” ANTONIO GALLONI, VINOUS
Releases September 2025 |
The Phillips family has represented the best of the Napa Valley grape growing community for three generations. Their Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard is a special part of Tor’s 50-year history in the Napa Valley. He knew its early stewards, Bob and Alex Phillips, who moved to their family’s Oakville vineyard in 1978. Over time, they cultivated it into the world-renowned site it is today – best suited for Cabernet Sauvignon. We now work with their son, Bruce Phillips, where we have three blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon. We are hard pressed to think of a vintage where Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard did not contribute to our Black Magic bottling. The Phillips family’s love and dedication to the land is inspirational.
“The 2023 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet is quite possibly my favorite Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet from Tor to date. This year’s version has copious black fruits, a stacked mid-pallet, and has an aromatic profile that I’ve come to associate with the best vintages out of Vine Hill Ranch, which is the slow-smoked bark on a brisket from Texas, Franklin Barbecue. As dense and rich as this wine is, it has remarkable smoothness on the finish and follow-through with more ripe blackberry, black cherry, and just a tiny bit of Dr Pepper. I think the 23 will be like the 2018, where it will be very drinkable on release, but will only get better.”
—Jeff Ames
