EPISODE 11

Inside Napa’s Wine Renaissance with Bruce Phillips of Vine Hill Ranch

Pour a glass of your favorite red and join us for a journey through Napa Valley’s past, present, and future with Bruce Phillips of Vine Hill Ranch.

In this episode, Bruce—third-generation steward of one of Napa’s most revered vineyard sites—invites us into the quiet, powerful story of how Vine Hill Ranch helped shape the renaissance of American wine. From the aftermath of Prohibition to the phylloxera crisis and the vineyard’s bold redevelopment, Bruce shares what it takes to cultivate excellence across generations.

Together with Brian Lipstein, they explore how Napa’s mindset has evolved from Bordeaux-inspired blends to a Burgundian focus on micro-site expression—one that places terroir, family legacy, and intention at the heart of winemaking.

Whether you're a connoisseur, a collector, or simply someone who values stories rooted in heritage and vision, this episode offers a rich pour of insight into what makes Napa—and the people behind it—truly extraordinary.

0:00 Intro

1:03 Meet Bruce Phillips, third-generation Napa Valley grape grower

5:00 What Napa looked like in the 1950s

9:50 Surviving Prohibition and reclaiming quality

14:30 Bruce’s father and the vineyard’s pivotal redevelopment

20:00 Rebuilding Napa through phylloxera and vision

26:45 The terroir of Vine Hill Ranch: geology, climate, and complexity

34:20 Napa’s shift from Bordeaux to Burgundian mindset

39:45 Kinsman Eades, MacDonald, Detert, and the next generation of Napa producers

41:43 Closing remarks and preview of Part Two

Connect: https://www.thegentlemanlythings.com/

Follow us on social media @TheGentlemanlyThings

https://www.instagram.com/thegentlemanlythings/

https://www.facebook.com/TheGentlemanlyThings/