VGS Chateau Potelle

Sent to the Napa Valley by the French government “to spy” for 6 months, Jean-Noel Fourmeaux reported back home: “Looks good, I stay.”

This son of Bordeaux created VGS Chateau Potelle 35 years ago on Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. Originally seduced by the exuberance and generosity of the Napa Valley fruit, Jean-Noel makes wines that have dimension, subtlety, and definitive character. Their assertiveness is all in the nuances and their successive layers, not in the bold overripeness of fruit.

Jean-Noel’s unconventional, but serene and comfortable approach to life and wine is guided by his passion for making wines true to both his standards and the standards of his loyal customers. “To make mainstream wines has never been my calling.”

He is a winemaker, traveler, teacher, and storyteller. He enjoys sharing his passion and spreading the essence of wine, which he believes should be a sensual gratification not an instant one. Jean Noel empowers people to be themselves and to embrace their own personal taste and give it the chance it deserves. “Once you know your taste, your taste will never let you down.”

The Fourmeaux Red, Jean-Noel’s latest creation, received the highest price at the Napa Valley Barrel Auction two years in a row. A true French-American blend, he travels the world sharing the culture of wine with his customers and friends, from Bordeaux where he is from, to South Africa, Latin America, and beyond. 

VGS Chateau Potelle has been producing small lots of hand-crafted wines from the Napa Valley since 1983, including Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced primarily from vineyards on Mt. Veeder in the Napa Valley. VGS wines are available only at the Tasting House and Garden in St. Helena, online at vgschateaupotelle.com and in select restaurants. The Tasting House and Garden, features wines paired with food bites from the Michelin starred La Toque Restaurant and welcomes guests daily from 10 am – 5 pm; reservations required. Wine Club members receive discounts on wine, the tasting experience and access to its seasonal “Lunch Above the Clouds,” a five-course lunch and wine tasting in the Mt. Veeder vineyard. 
 

Learn more: www.vgschateaupotelle.com/