What Palmaz Vineyards does

Palmaz Vineyards, legally Cedar Knoll Vineyards Inc, is a family-owned Napa Valley winery founded by Julio and Amalia Palmaz on land acquired in the late 1990s, with the first estate vintage released in 2001. The company operates a 600-acre estate of which 64 acres across 46 blocks at three distinct elevations (300ft, 1,200ft, 1,400ft) are planted to vineyard, and houses its production in an 18-story subterranean gravity-flow winery carved into Mount George. Wine production is supported by a proprietary technology stack — the FILCS fermentation monitoring and control system (measuring approximately 3.5 million discrete temperature points per tank with automated adjustments), the VIGOR vineyard canopy and irrigation monitoring system, and integrated GIS mapping — overlaid on traditional estate winemaking.

The commercial operation is built around a vertically integrated direct-to-consumer model. Revenue streams include one-time wine sales (Cabernet Sauvignon, Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon, Brasas, Amalia Chardonnay, Louise Riesling, Florencia Muscat, and Rosé priced $65-$500+ per bottle), tiered Brasas Club wine society memberships (Facon, Chacra, Finca) with subscription allocations, private cave tours and tastings ($150-$195 per person), nationwide virtual tasting kits ($45-$210), gift cards ($100-$500), estate olive oil, non-alcoholic grape juices, and an award-winning two-volume lifestyle book set. Distribution runs through the estate winery, a proprietary e-commerce platform, and the Brasas Club subsidiary; products ship to most U.S. states excluding DE, MS, RI, and UT.

The customer base is concentrated in affluent wine enthusiasts, collectors, gift buyers, and virtual experience seekers across the United States. The leadership team is entirely family and long-tenured staff, including co-founders Julio and Amalia Palmaz as Co-Chairmen, CEO Florencia Palmaz, COO Christian Palmaz, CMO Jessica Palmaz, consulting winemakers Tina Mitchell and Mia Klein, and Head Winemaker Doug Mitchell, who succeeded Tina Mitchell in October 2025 after an 18-year internal progression. The winery employs 11-50 staff, with a dedicated 13-person vineyard team led by José Palafox and consultant Mike Wolf.

Name

Palmaz Vineyards

Legal name

Cedar Knoll Vineyards Inc

Website

https://palmazvineyards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Palmaz Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley estate winery producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon-led wines and experiences from a 600-acre property with an 18-story subterranean cave, selling direct-to-consumer through e-commerce, the Brasas Club, and tastings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Napa Valley Wines

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Estate wine production
• Napa Valley wines
• Gravity flow winemaking
• Wine club memberships
• Wine tourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Napa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of estate wines through e-commerce platform and at the winery. Includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon, Brasas, Chardonnay, Riesling, Florencia Muscat, and Rosé wines. Pricing ranges from approximately $65 to $500+ per bottle depending on varietal and vintage.
2. Brasas Wine Club Memberships: Tiered wine club membership program offering vineyard allocations, ranch subscriptions, and exclusive member access to wines like Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon. Three tiers: Facon, Chacra, and Finca with varying levels of wine allocations and benefits.
3. Wine Tourism Experiences: Revenue from private tours and tastings at the estate winery ($150 per person for Portfolio Tasting, $195 per person for Cabernet Collector Tasting), virtual tasting kits shipped to customers, and 'At Your Table' private events.
4. Ancillary Products: Sales of olive oil ($25 per 500ml), non-alcoholic grape juices ($20), gift cards ($100-$500), and lifestyle books ($130-$250 for slipcase and deluxe editions).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Palmaz Vineyards produces and sells estate-grown premium Napa Valley wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon, Brasas, Chardonnay, Riesling, Muscat, and Rosé) crafted in a proprietary 18-story gravity-flow subterranean winery using AI-driven fermentation control. The company operates a tiered Brasas Wine Club subscription program and offers wine tourism experiences including private cave tours, in-person tastings, and shipped virtual tasting kits, alongside ancillary products such as olive oil, non-alcoholic grape juices, and lifestyle books.

Product overview

Palmaz Vineyards is a family-owned Napa Valley winery operating a gravity-flow winery carved 18 stories into Mount George. The product portfolio centers on estate wines including Cabernet Sauvignon (flagship), Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon (premium vineyard-designate), Brasas (food-pairing blend), and white wines (Amalia Chardonnay, Louise Riesling, Florencia Muscat, Rosé). The winery offers wine experiences including private cave tours with tastings ($150-195/person) and virtual tastings ($95-210/kit). Ancillary products include olive oil, non-alcoholic grape juices, and an award-winning two-volume wine-and-food lifestyle book set. Brasas Club membership offers tiered access including vineyard and ranch subscriptions. All wines are estate-grown across 46 vineyard blocks at three elevations (300ft, 1,200ft, 1,400ft).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brasas Club: Wine society membership program offering vineyard memberships, ranch subscriptions, and exclusive wine access.

Products and services

• Cabernet Sauvignon The estate's flagship wine, notable for its depth and complexity with well-balanced tannins. Features rich layers of dark fruit, spicy oak, chocolate and ripe berries with a full-bodied finish.
• Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon Premium single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon made from the best lots on the property, released only when the family feels the wine meets its special designation. Available exclusively to Brasas Wine Society members.
• Brasas Limited-production Cabernet Sauvignon blend featuring Cabernet from the topmost vineyard elevation and Malbec in homage to Argentine wines, designed for pairing with grilled foods and fire cooking. Available to Brasas Wine Society members.
• Amalia Chardonnay Chardonnay named for co-founder Amalia Palmaz, fermented in a dedicated tunnel in the Cave. Features balanced fruit, acidity, and oak characteristics.
• Louise Riesling Limited-production Riesling balancing sweet, fruity and dry characteristics through low alcohol and high acidity. Fermented almost dry with no barrel aging for a crisp, refreshing profile.
• Florencia Muscat Limited-production Muscat cold-fermented to preserve delicate floral and spicy fruit aromas with residual sugar accentuating other taste notes. Named for Julio and Amalia's daughter Florencia.
• Rosé Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, equally refreshing and rich for summer enjoyment. The portfolio's most recent addition crafted by Doug Mitchell.
• Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil Hand-harvested extra virgin olive oil produced from olives of 350 French Provençal, Spanish Catalan and Italian Tuscan varietal trees (Arbequine, Manzanilla, Mission and Picholine), stone-wheel cold-pressed.
• Non-alcoholic Offerings (Nico's Cuvée & Gaston's Petit Cru) Tea-infused unfermented grape juices crafted by the third generation. Nico's Cuvée is oolong-infused Muscat; Gaston's Petit Cru is rooibos tea-infused with Petit Verdot.
• Palmaz Vineyards Two Volume Book Set Award-winning two-volume wine-and-food lifestyle book set covering viticulture, winemaking, terroir, 130 recipes, and entertaining from the Palmaz estate. Available in Slipcase Edition ($130) and Deluxe Limited Edition ($250) with 400 hand-numbered copies.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available in $100, $250, and $500 denominations, usable for wine selections, private tastings, or experiences at the estate.
• Corporate and Personal Gifting Service Corporate and personal gifting service featuring curated wine selections, personalized gift notes, gift bags or wooden boxes, and virtual tasting gift packs. Supports multi-ship orders for multiple recipients.
• Private Tour & Tastings In-person guided tours of the 18-story subterranean winery cave with seated wine tastings. Portfolio Tasting at $150 per person includes guided cave tour and seated tasting of portfolio wines; Cabernet Collector Tasting at $195 per person includes cave tour and tasting of Cabernet-focused lineup including Gaston.
• Virtual Tastings (Facon Kit, Chacra Kit, Finca Kit, Portfolio, Vertical, Pairing Board) Private virtual tasting experiences shipped to customers' homes with curated 250ml wine selections, optional Pairing Boards, and guided video conference sessions with estate sommeliers including virtual cave tours. Tasting kits range from $95 (Portfolio) to $210 (Finca).
• Brasas Wine Society Membership Tiered wine club subscription program offering recurring wine allocations, ranch subscriptions, and exclusive member access to limited-production wines such as Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon and Brasas. Three membership tiers (Facon, Chacra, Finca) with escalating allocations and benefits including priority access and exclusive experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vintages consistently recognized as cellar-worthy for 20-30+ years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Caymus Vineyards: Family-owned Napa Valley winery with a flagship Special Selection Cabernet and a Special Vineyard Designate, both commanding cult-level pricing. Closely comparable to Palmaz in family ownership, premium Napa Cabernet focus, and library/allocation dynamics.
• Stag's Leap Wine Cellars: Iconic Napa Valley estate producing premium Cabernet Sauvignon with a focus on estate-grown fruit and direct-to-consumer hospitality. Directly comparable to Palmaz in product focus (Napa Cabernet), DTC-led model, and premium price positioning.
• Joseph Phelps Vineyards: Long-established Napa estate known for Insignia, a flagship Bordeaux-style blend, with strong direct-to-consumer, wine club, and tasting room operations. Comparable to Palmaz in premium Napa positioning, multi-varietal portfolio, and DTC hospitality.
• Quintessa Estate: Biodynamic Napa estate producing a single flagship Bordeaux blend from a single vineyard, with estate tastings and a wine club. Comparable to Palmaz in estate-only sourcing, single-property luxury focus, and premium DTC model.
• Dominus Estate: Premium Napa Valley estate (linked to Château Pétrus) producing a single flagship Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend with critically acclaimed aging potential. Comparable in ultra-premium positioning, estate-grown philosophy, and cult-level library value.
• Chimney Rock Winery: Napa Valley estate specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends with a tasting room and DTC focus. Comparable to Palmaz in estate-grown Napa Cabernet focus and DTC-led hospitality model.
• Darioush Winery: Boutique Napa Valley estate with striking winery architecture, premium Cabernet-led portfolio, and high-end hospitality programming including private tastings. Highly comparable to Palmaz in luxury positioning, architectural differentiation, and DTC tasting experiences.

Regional players

• B Cellars Winery: Napa Valley winery focused on Cabernet-led blends, a wine club, and DTC experiences with a hospitality-led model. Comparable in DTC emphasis and tiered wine club structure, with similar premium price points.

Broad incumbents

• Opus One: Iconic Napa Valley winery producing a single flagship Bordeaux-style blend at ultra-premium pricing with strong DTC and global distribution. Comparable in premium Napa positioning and Bordeaux-inspired winemaking, though with much larger brand scale and global reach.

Emerging players

• Frog's Leap Winery: Napa Valley estate known for organic and dry-farmed viticulture with a Rutherford-based tasting experience. Comparable to Palmaz in estate philosophy and premium hospitality, though with broader varietal and farming-method emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/palmazvineyards
• Facebookfacebook.com/palmazvineyards
• Instagraminstagram.com/palmaz_vineyards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palmaz-vineyards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palmaz Vineyards