Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Royal Prince Wines is a boutique wine company based in the Napa Valley, offering wines that consistently transcend the expectations of their price points. They are able to do this thanks to their unique access to a rarefied tier of winegrowing partners. They make wine honestly, source the best wines they can find, and employ a minimalist approach to growing, blending, and bottling.
Royal Prince Wines upholds the highest quality at every point in the process. Their responsibility to produce great wine is their lodestar. They touch every price point, creating wines of precision, power, elegance, and zero pretentiousness. All of this defines their mission: to democratize deliciousness.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.