One of Moon Mountain's most ambitious projects: three winemakers, a master cooper who hand-selects French oak trees, and Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Tannat, and Syrah from volcanic basalt at altitude. Founded by Brion Wise in the 1990s. A walk-in lounge in Kenwood; the Moon Mountain Estate Cave is by appointment.
B. Wise is the Moon Mountain estate of Brion Wise — chemical engineer turned vintner — who purchased the former cattle ranch in 2000 and developed it from the ground up. The volcanic basalt and rhyolite soils on the steep upper slopes of Moon Mountain produce concentrated hillside Cabernet Sauvignon along with Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. Rather than a single head winemaker, Brion pairs each vineyard block with one of three rotating consultants — Massimo Monticelli, Mark Herold, and Julien Fayard — believing each winemaker's style is part of the terroir story. The estate is also home to Napa Valley's first and only in-house Master Cooper, who hand-selects French oak trees personally for the cellar.
TRIOS Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain District — The flagship: a Cabernet-driven Bordeaux blend with a Rhône twist, from the estate's red volcanic soils; red cherry, raspberry, anise and fine, dry tannins.
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain District — A pure, mineral-edged hillside Cabernet from the estate beside historic Monte Rosso.
Syrah Block 1, Moon Mountain District — A dark, savory estate Syrah from a single hillside block.
Zinfandel, Moon Mountain District — A brambly, spice-driven estate Zinfandel grown on the mountain's red soils.
Petite Sirah, Moon Mountain District — An inky, structured small-lot bottling for the cellar.
Owner Brion Wise sited B. Wise Vineyards on a Moon Mountain ridge tucked against the historic Monte Rosso vineyard, drawn by the distinctively red volcanic soils. Beyond the estate reds — which also include Cabernet Franc and Tannat — the portfolio reaches to Napa Valley Cabernet and Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Founded by Brion Wise in the 1990s and producing its first estate bottling in 2002, B. Wise has become one of Moon Mountain's most ambitious projects — a commitment to "wine of the world" caliber that employs three winemakers working with fruit matched to their styles and a master cooper who selects French oak trees personally. The estate produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah from Moon Mountain, plus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites. The Kenwood Tasting Lounge offers walk-in service and casual flights ($15–$30). The Moon Mountain Estate Cave, by appointment only, features an extensive network of fermenting and aging tunnels opening onto private hospitality alcoves — $55 per person for a 90-minute vineyard tour and cave tasting. Also operates a Napa Valley tasting room at Sleeping Lady Vineyard.
B. Wise operates with a rotating consulting winemaking team rather than a single head winemaker — proprietor Brion Wise's philosophy is that each winemaker's individual style is part of the terroir story, so he pairs each vineyard block with the consultant whose voice fits it. The three principals are Massimo Monticelli, Mark Herold (whose namesake label Brion acquired in 2023), and Julien Fayard. Brion's in-house Master Cooper Ramiro Herrera — the first and only in-house cooper in Napa Valley — selects French oak trees and makes barrels personally for the cellar. The Kenwood Tasting Lounge is run by GM and sommelier Colin Heinrich. Brion himself is a Washington State chemical-engineering graduate who built and sold companies in the energy sector before turning to wine; he purchased the former cattle ranch that became the Moon Mountain estate in 2000 and developed the 240-acre property from the ground up. B. Wise's first vintage was released in 2005. The portfolio now spans Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah from the Moon Mountain estate, plus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites and select Oregon Pinot.
Brion Wise is the founder and proprietor of B. Wise Vineyards, high on Moon Mountain in the Mayacamas range above Sonoma Valley. A successful energy-industry entrepreneur, Wise turned a passion for collecting great wine into an estate of his own, planting steep volcanic hillsides to Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties and tunneling a dramatic aging cave into the mountain. He assembled an all-star roster of consulting winemakers to realize a portfolio of mountain-grown reds, and his holdings later grew to include the neighboring Amapola Creek estate. Wise’s ambition helped define the modern Moon Mountain District as a premier home for Sonoma Cabernet.
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TRIOS Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain District — The flagship: a Cabernet-driven Bordeaux blend with a Rhône twist, from the estate's red volcanic soils; red cherry, raspberry, anise and fine, dry tannins.
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain District — A pure, mineral-edged hillside Cabernet from the estate beside historic Monte Rosso.
Syrah Block 1, Moon Mountain District — A dark, savory estate Syrah from a single hillside block.
Zinfandel, Moon Mountain District — A brambly, spice-driven estate Zinfandel grown on the mountain's red soils.
Petite Sirah, Moon Mountain District — An inky, structured small-lot bottling for the cellar.
Owner Brion Wise sited B. Wise Vineyards on a Moon Mountain ridge tucked against the historic Monte Rosso vineyard, drawn by the distinctively red volcanic soils. Beyond the estate reds — which also include Cabernet Franc and Tannat — the portfolio reaches to Napa Valley Cabernet and Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
B. Wise is the Moon Mountain estate of Brion Wise — chemical engineer turned vintner — who purchased the former cattle ranch in 2000 and developed it from the ground up. The volcanic basalt and rhyolite soils on the steep upper slopes of Moon Mountain produce concentrated hillside Cabernet Sauvignon along with Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. Rather than a single head winemaker, Brion pairs each vineyard block with one of three rotating consultants — Massimo Monticelli, Mark Herold, and Julien Fayard — believing each winemaker's style is part of the terroir story. The estate is also home to Napa Valley's first and only in-house Master Cooper, who hand-selects French oak trees personally for the cellar.
Founded by Brion Wise in the 1990s and producing its first estate bottling in 2002, B. Wise has become one of Moon Mountain's most ambitious projects — a commitment to "wine of the world" caliber that employs three winemakers working with fruit matched to their styles and a master cooper who selects French oak trees personally. The estate produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah from Moon Mountain, plus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites. The Kenwood Tasting Lounge offers walk-in service and casual flights ($15–$30). The Moon Mountain Estate Cave, by appointment only, features an extensive network of fermenting and aging tunnels opening onto private hospitality alcoves — $55 per person for a 90-minute vineyard tour and cave tasting. Also operates a Napa Valley tasting room at Sleeping Lady Vineyard.
B. Wise operates with a rotating consulting winemaking team rather than a single head winemaker — proprietor Brion Wise's philosophy is that each winemaker's individual style is part of the terroir story, so he pairs each vineyard block with the consultant whose voice fits it. The three principals are Massimo Monticelli, Mark Herold (whose namesake label Brion acquired in 2023), and Julien Fayard. Brion's in-house Master Cooper Ramiro Herrera — the first and only in-house cooper in Napa Valley — selects French oak trees and makes barrels personally for the cellar. The Kenwood Tasting Lounge is run by GM and sommelier Colin Heinrich. Brion himself is a Washington State chemical-engineering graduate who built and sold companies in the energy sector before turning to wine; he purchased the former cattle ranch that became the Moon Mountain estate in 2000 and developed the 240-acre property from the ground up. B. Wise's first vintage was released in 2005. The portfolio now spans Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah from the Moon Mountain estate, plus Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites and select Oregon Pinot.
Brion Wise is the founder and proprietor of B. Wise Vineyards, high on Moon Mountain in the Mayacamas range above Sonoma Valley. A successful energy-industry entrepreneur, Wise turned a passion for collecting great wine into an estate of his own, planting steep volcanic hillsides to Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties and tunneling a dramatic aging cave into the mountain. He assembled an all-star roster of consulting winemakers to realize a portfolio of mountain-grown reds, and his holdings later grew to include the neighboring Amapola Creek estate. Wise’s ambition helped define the modern Moon Mountain District as a premier home for Sonoma Cabernet.
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