Palmaz

I’d like to shed some light on Dr. Julio Palmaz and what he has done to better this world as both an inventor and vintner. Throughout Dr. Palmaz’s life he has touched many people’s hearts, literally. Before entering the vinification business, Julio was born an inventor and studied to become a cardiologist. His attraction to homemade gadgets and medical science ultimately landed him a spot in the Inventors Hall of Fame for his revolutionary design of the balloon-expandable stent. Intellectual Property International Magazine recognized it as one of the "Ten Patents that Change the World". He sold his patent to Johnson&Johnson and soon after took up an old college hobby, wine making.

To do this right, Julio went straight to the source. He discovered a forgotten stone winery tucked away on the northeastern edge of Napa. As the hilly landscape only gave way to withered vines, an old house and a vacant winery, Palmaz saw potential for renovations and innovation. He first broke ground by introducing 8 new varietals to the land and entirely renovating the old buildings, fully customized to his liking. As he changed the lay of the land above ground, his innovations begin to change what lay beneath. He successfully constructed a massive facility that stretched from the house to the winery, all underground and unlike any other winery.

On his estate, scattered across 55 acres that range from 400-1,400ft in altitude, Palmaz is able to produces wines that range from a sweet, Muscat Canelli to a full-bodied, Gaston Cabernet, all that pack an eye opening ‘Wow!’ when tasted. What truly distinguishes his wine from others, is found in the massive infrastructure that lays below the vines. Equivalent to an 18 story building, laying across the hillside, this next video shows exactly how his unique operation is setup.

Why is such a setup like this necessary? First, let's keep in mind the two most important variables while tasting wine. 1) Is the depth of flavor profiles and 2) is the length of 'linger-time' - essential to savor every subtle note. For minimal pucker and extra long linger, Julio looked under the hillside. He found that using gravity was the only way to carefully mix and transfer the premature wine from tank to barrel. The reason being, that after several months of fermentation, delicate polymer and monomer bonds create new, longer strands as the tannins from inside the grape react with the skins and seeds of the grape. These delicate 'flavor' chains must not be disturbed.  So, unlike other vineyards which can use mechanical pumps that agitate and destroy these strands, Palmaz simply uses gravity. Throughout the 18 stories of underground, climate controlled caves, the wine can forms even longer strands while it matures in first year, french oak barrels for 2 years. The end result is truly remarkable, it is unlike any other wine I have ever tasted.

But don’t take my word for it, put it to the test.  Go stand in their fermentation dome, it clocks in as the world's largest reinforced underground structure. Reserve a private tour and tasting to see, smell and sample this unique process for yourself ($60/person). I guarantee you’ll be left with a whole new perspective and appreciation for Palmaz's rendition of wine making. Personally, never has the idea of purchasing a bottle of wine for more than $100 crossed my mind, especially paying $50 for a Chardonnay, yet at the end I left with two in hand, their Chardonnay and Cab. Thanks for the proper bottles, Palmaz!