Monte Rio Cellars 27 Items

Patrick Cappiello Mr. Cappiello got his start in restaurants, starting his career in 2002 as a Sommelier at Tribeca Grill, changing his title to Wine Director and restaurant owner over the next 15 years. Through connections with countless winemakers and after meeting his current business partner Pax Mahle, the transition to Wine Maker was a natural progression for Cappiello. He still serves as Wine Director of Walnut Street Café. He is Food & Wine host for Playboy and founding member of Winemakers & Sommeliers for California Wildfire Relief. His 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, and Sommelier career has given him access to four of the worlds greatest wine cellars. All have been recipients of Wine Spectators "Grand Award"; TriBeCa Grill, Veritas, GILT, and Pearl & Ash. Mr. Cappiello was named "Sommelier of the Year 2014" by Food & Wine Magazine, "Wine Person of the Year 2014" by Imbibe Magazine, and "Sommelier of the Year 2015" by Eater National. Pax Mahle Pax and Pam Mahle moved to wine country in 1997 to pursue careers in wine. After a few years of tasting wine from all over California for Dean & Deluca, Pax decided to start his own brand from a vineyard with which he felt a kismet connection. That vineyard was Alder Springs, and after finding an investor to help realize the dream, Pax Wine Cellars was launched in 2000. Location, soil, exposition, dedicated growers, plant material and sustainability are all important factors that affect their decision. The goal with the chosen vineyards is simple: harvest ripe, healthy grapes, with balanced acids and sugars, which require no additions from the winery. The commitment to these vineyards is to learn from them every year, to make improvements in how the fruit is handled in order for it to express its uniqueness, and most importantly how growing vines are handled, year after year, to enable them to do just that.