Michael Keenan spent about half of our time together describing his wines. He spent the other half apologizing for his colorful language.

1. Wine Pick: Michael Keenan of Keenery Winery Talks Shop
Michael Keenan spent about half of our time together describing his wines. He spent the other half
apologizing for his colorful language.
“Once in San Diego I participated in an elegant dinner- 10 wines with 10 courses. I found out later there
was a secret contest to see how many times I would drop the f bomb during it,” he admitted with a look
of mischief in his eye.
When our giggles subsided, someone asked, “So how many times were there?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “At least 18.”
If a stereotypical winemaker is arty and even a touch pretentious, Keenan proved anything but. His
spirited attitude and knack for lively storytelling won me over immediately. The story of his wines
begins when his father, Robert Keenan, purchased 180 acres of abandoned land in 1974. The property
on Spring Mountain in Napa used to be a well-established vineyard called the Conradi Winery.
Unfortunately, it fell into disrepair during prohibition. Robert saw hope in it though and hired a
contractor to begin the ambitious task of breathing new life into the land.
Michael started to work alongside his father in 1977. In a somewhat ironic twist though, he left to work
for the contractor tasked with reviving the Napa Valley vineyard. The change brought success and
Keenan eventually started his own company. He was making a viable living when his father contacted
him and told him he was giving up the winery. He offered it to Michael and said that if he did not take it,
he would be forced to sell it to someone else entirely. Though hesitant, Michael agreed to at least
return to the premises and consider the offer.
It was love at first sight. Keenan recalled his thoughts as he stood overlooking the valley.

2. “I realized, ‘this is so special. I have to figure out a way to keep this in the family,’” he remembers. He
gave up his personal business and embarked on a new journey. He knew it would be hard, but he was
up for the challenge. He hired a small team of trusted individuals and even housed them on the
property.
“Those guys are still working for me,” he told me. “That kind of continuity is important.”
Though Keenan is usually unfiltered in typical conversation (another case in point: he resents that a
movie about “two terds” threatened his Merlot sales), his entire demeanor changes when he begins
talking about his wines. He speaks about them with genuine affection reminiscent of the pride a parent
might exhibit for a beloved child. He chooses every word carefully so that his ideas can be conveyed
most accurately. In one particularly poignant moment, he explained to us how his final version of the
Mernet depends on achieving what he calls a “sweet spot.”
“It’s a high-toned perfume,” he said thoughtfully. He went on to describe how the Mernet is a
“winemaker’s wine.” While the others’ notes are driven by the land’s terroir, the Mernet’s bouquet
comes from his ability to blend the grapes together just so.
When I tasted the wine, his words made complete sense. The wine starts off feeling like a whispy velvet
in my mouth. There are light touches of ripe fruit. The wine evolves entirely as it lingers though. It
sinks down to an earthiness with more weight and darker fruits. Though the wine tastes incredible on
its own, the balance between the acid and fruit makes it an ideal food wine.
“I like to say a wine responds to food instead of that it pairs with the food,” he states. “Pair is a passive
word.”
As the name implies, Mernet is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Keenan gave me a chance to
taste both varietals in two versions: regular vintage and reserve.
The 2008 Merlot is 100% Merlot grapes. Keenan still refers to it as a “blended” wine though because
the Merlot grapes come from four different vineyards. The 2009 Mailbox Merlot, on the other hand, is a
single-vineyard wine. Keenan believes that having all of the grapes originate in the same place gives it a
“narrower focus” and “vertical depth.” He praises the Mailbox Merlot for two qualities in particular: a
sense of completeness and uniqueness.
“It doesn’t need anything else to complete it,” he explained. “It’s unique because it has a high floral
note and a long long finish.”
Just smelling the wine took my breath away. A single sip left me in total awe. The extremely lush,
peppery liquid hit every last iota of surface area in my mouth. The spice and fruit ricocheted off my
palette from every angle.
Keenan then introduced us to the Cabernet Sauvignon. This varietal was more of a challenge to create.

3. “It took us 25 years to learn how make Cabernet,” Keenan admitted. His father believed that a great
wine came from placing stress on the land. In other words, amazing grapes were the result of the earth
struggling with itself. Keenan brought a more “California approach” to winemaking.
“We’re supposed to love the plant- not torture it!” he laughs. At the same time, he doesn’t adhere to
the more strict regulations that an organic or biodynamic labeling would require.
“I take a common sense approach,” he asserts. “Nature can take care of itself.”
The Cab proved extremely complex. Red and black fruits seemed to war and then come to a truce as the
sip filled my mouth. Keenan described it as having “volume and range.” By volume, he meant that it
has weight and a physical presence in the mouth. Range refers to how it encompasses a wide variety of
notes. It was aromatic, floral, fruity, and earthy all in one.
Keenan ended our tasting with a Chardonnay- a departure from the white to red ordering that so many
wine drinkers insist upon. I enjoyed this immensely. I think wine should be fun and whimsical and love
it when people break the traditions that seem to govern it.
The reds were certainly phenomenal, but to me the Chardonnay was true star of the day. It is full
bodied and buttery without tasting of oak. The finish goes on for what seems like an eternity. It
manages to be creamy and complex but still easy drinking. Unlike other Chardonnays, it does not go
through malolcatic fermentation. Barrel fermentation imparts the perfectly balanced character.
So how does Keenan know when a wine is perfect?
“I felt like I was stoned the rest of the day,” he quips. “That’s how I knew it was good.”
And just like that he’s back to the endearing jokester from before. A jokester with truly amazing, artistic
wine. Check out for best Napa Valley Winery.
Media Contact:
Robert Keenan Winery
Michael Keenan
Website: http://www.keenanwinery.com
Address: 3660 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena, CA 94574
Phone: 707-963-9177
Email: info@keenanwinery.com
Twitter: @KeenanWinery
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KeenanWinery