Kristof Nils Anderson was the founding winemaker of Gargiulo Vineyards in the Oakville AVA. Working with vineyard managers Laurie Wood & Mark Neal, Kristof was also founding winemaker for the Booth Family Vineyards (now Bella Oaks) of Belle & Barney Rhodes in Rutherford AVA. He was lead winemaker for the coveted Oakville Winegrowers Cuvee (2011-13 blends) and is known for the nuance, balance, and integrity of his wines, contributing stylistically to the world-renowned Oakville, Napa Valley, AVA.
A pioneer in clean farming and low-intervention winemaking techniques that begin with meticulous viticultural practices, Kristof was also co-founder/founding winemaker of Scribe Winery in Sonoma. There, he planted estate vineyards and established a winemaking program known for aromatics and fruit-forward elegance. Karen MacNeil (The Wine Bible, 2nd Edition) described his Scribe estate Riesling as possessing “Audrey Hepburn-like grace.”
Kristof's career has been unique, in that he has primarily made wine from estate vineyards that he designed, developed and planted in concert with vineyard managers and consultant Paul Skinner, Ph.D., in addition to overseeing winery planning & construction. Additionally, he has been the consulting winemaker for numerous wine labels in Napa and Sonoma, including Carlo and Dante Mondavi’s RAEN.
He and his wife Jennifer started the PELLA Cabernet label in 2002, while Kristof was winemaker at Lewis Cellars, with a tiny amount of Cabernet Sauvignon from renowned Star Vineyard in Rutherford. Named for their eldest daughter, Pella, who was born in 2003, they "invested all the fruits of their labor into each bottle of wine," as Kristof likes to say. They produced vintages from 2002-2009, pausing to focus on the monumental task of turning an abandoned turkey farm into Scribe Winery.
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In 2021, during the pandemic shutdowns, Kristof left Gargiulo Vineyards, not an easy decision considering the labors of love that went into creating the winemaking & viticulture programs there and developing his signature vine-by-vine farming method, working with the talented crew at Hector Lopez Vineyard Management.
Harvest of 2022 marks the highly anticipated year of relaunching the PELLA Cabernet Sauvignon brand. "I am more proud of the 2022 PELLA Cabernet than I am of any wine I've made in my career," Kristof says. The best is yet to come!
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—Cheers! Kristof & Jennifer​​​​​​​​​
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On Terroir...
"The taste of blood. That’s how Kristof Anderson describes the saline, minerally tang that the red, volcanic soils of East Oakville give to Cabernet Sauvignon."
--Wine Enthusiast, 9/26/11
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"...But perhaps the most compelling aspect of the wine is its aliveness. That lit-from-within quality. That cool energy, the kind that’s in the air before a thunderstorm..." (On Kristof's Baker Lane Vineyard Syrah for Scribe Winery)
--"The Great Sonoma Wines," MacNeil, Karen. The Wine Bible, 3rd Edition (p. 518). Workman Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.
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"I had an 'are you kidding me?' moment. You can, too...we are lucky to have Joel Aiken, an expert in Rutherford terroir, on our tasting panel. Joel spent 27 years as BV's winemaker, and he agrees this wine is precisely what a supremely well-made Rutherford Cabernet should be."
--Daniel Pressey, President, Wine Country Connection
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"The Cabernet Sauvignons from Pella contain Rutherford fruit from the Star Vineyard and are a glimpse into a rare time-capsule from the mid-2000s. Unfortunately, winemaker Kristof Anderson only produced a handful of vintages. Still, those he created are a spectacular example of what perfectly-aged, high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon can become over time. The 2007 vintage begins with a nose including concentrated black cherry juice, ground espresso, dried sage, dark chocolate, crushed granite, iron, and elegant florals. A very concentrated, compact palate follows, with penetrating red fruits and deep, supple black fruits that combine black tea, blackberries, and red currants, along with an immense amount of complexity. The complex flavors and aromas form waves of intensity that wash over your palate, then recede, evolving in a way that few wines do. The finish is unexpectedly long and ultimately satisfying, with poise, elegance, grace, and intensity that leave you wanting more and more."
97 Points
--Kevin M. Vogt, Master Sommelier
