Kristof Nils Anderson was founding winemaker for 18 years at Gargiulo Vineyards (Oakville AVA, Napa Valley, California). Working in concert with vineyard managers Laurie Wood & Mark Neal, Kristof was the founding winemaker for the Booth Family Vineyards of Belle & Barney Rhodes in Rutherford AVA. He was participating winemaker for the coveted Oakville Winegrowers Cuvee (2011-13 blends) and is known for his stylistic contributions to the world-renowned Oakville, Napa Valley, AVA.
A pioneer in non-interventionalist winemaking techniques that begin with meticulous viticultural practices, Kristof is co-founder/founding winemaker of natural wine phenomenon Scribe Winery in Sonoma, California, as well. There, he established a winemaking program known for aromatics & fruit-forward elegance. Karen MacNeil (The Wine Bible, 2nd Edition) described his Scribe estate Riesling as possessing “Audrey Hepburn-like grace.”
Kristof has enjoyed a pleasure unique among winemakers in that he has made wine from estate vineyards that he designed, developed & planted in concert with vineyard managers and consultant Paul Skinner, Ph.D., in addition to overseeing winery planning & construction.
Recent consulting clients include Robinson Family Vineyards in the Stags Leap District and Carlo and Dante Mondavi’s award-winning label RAEN (for which he was the inaugural winemaker). He and his wife Jennifer started the PELLA Cabernet label in 2002. Their radical vision was extended aging before release, cellaring their vineyard designate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for optimal drinkability.
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In 2021, Kristof left Gargiulo Vineyards to focus on his own brand, not an easy decision considering the labors of love that went into creating the winemaking & viticulture programs and developing his signature vine-by-vine farming method, working with the talented crew at Hector Lopez Vineyard Management.
But we couldn’t be more excited about the future. Harvest of 2022 marks the highly anticipated year of relaunching the PELLA Cabernet Sauvignon brand with fruit of extraordinary quality, sourced from Howell Mountain AVA. The best is yet to come!
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—Cheers! Kristof & Jennifer
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2002...
...and 2022!
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, 5/29/22
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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, 7/30/22