R.H. Phillips Winery

California Wine, Napa Valley

About R. H. Phillips Vineyards and Winery

In the late 1970s, fresh out of college, the Giguiere brothers, John and Karl, and John's wife, Lane, headed home to the family's Dunnigan Hills farm, where the brothers had grown up, to settle down in the idyllic life of running the family's wheat and sheep ranch. The charm of being shepherds quickly wore off when the three discovered that sheep use almost zero percent of their brains. The sheep were fired. The Giguieres then decided to buck tradition and planted ten acres of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc--the first grapes in the area since Prohibition. The vineyard thrived. At the first harvest in 1983, the grapes looked beautiful. Then they learned one of the harsh lessons of being pioneers; no winery wanted to buy grapes from an unproven grape-growing region. Still in the young and idealistic phase of their lives, the Giguieres viewed this situation as a challenge. They started their own winery. Naming their venture after their grandfather, they launched R.H. Phillips Winery in 1984 with 4,000 cases of wine. They sold every drop. Today, R.H. Phillips Winery has 1600 acres of prime vineyards and produces over 700,000 cases of award winning premium and super premium wines, most of which are Estate bottled. John and Lane still live on the property. Karl still farms the vineyards, but the winery has grown from a three-sided building and an old Rodeway trailer into a state-of-the-art production facility.

R. H. Phillips Winery Chardonnay

Lively “apple pie” spice notes mingled with tangerine and mango on the nose. Bright fruit and sweet oak flavors. Smooth, rich mouthfeel and a touch of brown spice from the barrel fermentation. Crisp acidity and a clean citrus finish make this a versatile food wine or a great sipper.

R. H. Phillips Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Aromas of dark cherries and black currants laced with dried herbs and mint notes. Medium tannins are balanced with long fruit flavors. Cherries, light toastiness and spice on the finish.