Napa Valley

Oakville

Cabernet Sauvignon

Thomas was born in Sumter, South Carolina. He attended the University of Virginia, where he majored in English and economics. It was then he found his love for wine. In 1996, Brown moved to Napa to pursue his passion. He was shortly thereafter hired to help in the cellar at Turley Wine Cellars. After three years, Thomas ventured out on his own. He has since made history on several occasions and has become one of the most sought after winemakers in the Napa Valley.

In October 2008, Thomas made history as the youngest winemaker to score not only one, but two perfect “100 point” ratings from Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advocate. Then in October 2010, Thomas was again awarded two top “100 point” ratings from Wine Spectator’s James Laube. This made Thomas the first American winemaker to ever receive 100 points from Wine Spectator. This same year Thomas was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Food & Wine. Since then, Thomas has gone on to receive at least six additional 100 point ratings from The Wine Advocate. His portfolio of wines is now decorated with over 25 100-point wines.

Thomas’ expertise with Burgundian varietals, combined with his love for Occidental’s Sonoma Coast growing region make him a natural fit for us at Senses. We consider ourselves very privileged to be led by Thomas, a man of many accomplishments.

Thomas Rivers Brown

The quest to deliver quality wine from the finest fruit source does not stop with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Senses believes the best California Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Napa Valley. Specifically, the soil and flavor profile of Cabernet from the prestigious Oakville AVA has long been a favorite of the team.

United States

California

Sonoma County

Senses Wines

MCM88 Pinot Noir

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

Terra de Promissio Pinot Noir

B.A. Thieriot Chardonnay

Day One Pinot Noir

Charles Heintz Chardonnay

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

Tenth Stop Chardonnay

The  story  of  Senses  Wines  began  in  2011  when  childhood  friends  Chris  Strieter,  Max  Thieriot  and  Myles  Lawrence-Briggs,  were  just  22  years  old  and  decided  to  turn  their  love  for  wine,  sustainable  farming  and  entrepreneurship  into  a  wine  label  of  their  own.

Beginning  in  the  vineyards  their  families  owned  in  Occidental,  the  Senses  team  was  able  to  farm  the  sites  themselves,  learning  how  to  care  for  and  tend  to  the  vines  and  eventually  attract  the  help  of  renowned  winemaker  Thomas  Rivers  Brown,  who  joined  the  young  team  in  2013.  

Senses  launched  with  just  112  cases  of  Pinot  noir  and  Chardonnay  from  Dutton  Ranch  vineyards  and  in  less  than  five  years  they  expanded  production  to  a  few  thousand  cases,  which  include  additional  single  vineyard  wines  from  seven  vineyards  and  appellation  blends  from  the  Sonoma  Coast  and  Russian  River  Valley  AVAs. 

Since  releasing  the  first  vintage  in  2012,  Senses  wines  are  exclusively  available  in  the  Spring  and  Fall  to  a  mailing  list  with  a  growing  waitlist.  In  the  past  two  years,  their  presence  in  the  marketplace  has  expanded  to  include  placements  on  the  menus  of  many  Michelin-rated  restaurants  throughout  the  country,  including  The  French  Laundry  and  Le  Bernardin.

Chardonnay

Pinot Noir

Chris Strieter

Primarily sourced from a region sitting along the western edge of the Russian River Valley. This wine is robust, rich and more tannic than it’s coastal cousin and shows great ability to age.

White

A bright expression of our favorite Sonoma Coast Chardonnay sites. Consistently refreshing and lighter in body than it’s single vineyard counterparts.

Charles and Diana Karren are incredibly passionate about growing grapes. Known as "The Land of Promise," Terra de Promissio has an ideal terroir for Pinot Noir. The soil, southwest sun exposure, hill elevation, vine density and the wind and fog of the Petaluma Gap allow the grapes to have a slow maturation and extended hang time.

Cameron & Bridgit Thieriot, Max's parents, purchased the property in 1988. In 1989 the first part of the vineyard was planted by the late Warren Dutton of Dutton Ranch. This vineyard has a long history of producing critically acclaimed wines and reputation as being the pioneer of Chardonnay and Pinot noir on the extreme West Sonoma Coast.

Myles' parents, Carl Briggs and Lisa Lawrence, purchased Hillcrest in 1988. This site neighbors Charles Heintz to the West and was originally planted in ‘74 to Grey Riesling making it likely the first planted still-wine site along the Sonoma Coast. The vineyard was later replanted to Pinot Noir in 2005 to four clones: Calera, 828, Swan & 115.

The Heintz family has owned the ranch for over 100 years. Charlie planted Clone 4 Chardonnay in 1982. This vineyard is highly regarded by many wine critics, including Robert Parker who was quoted describing this as “one of the great Grand Cru Chardonnay sites of California.”

A quintessential example of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir: elegant yet lively. This wine is a beautiful marriage of our Estate and grower Pinot Noir vineyards.

Owned by one of the oldest grape farming families in Nothern California, Dutton Palms Vineyard is nestled among the hills of a small valley between the towns of Occidental and Graton. Named as an homage to the founders’ hometown, Occidental served as the tenth stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad, bringing travelers and lumber to and from San Francisco during the late 19th century.

Napa Valley

Senses Wines

California, Sonoma County

2016

Cabernet Sauvignon

Oakville

Release Price

Drink Window

ABV

pH

TA

RS

Thomas Rivers Brown

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