It is remarkable how far this estate winemaking program has come since its inaugural release of the 2008 vintage in 2011. The Phillips family has been cultivating premium winegrapes at Vine Hill Ranch since 1959, selling their exceptional fruit to some of the region's premier vintners. In 2008, husband-and-wife team Bruce and Heather Phillips began selecting the finest fruit from the very best of the seven blocks on the property, to produce tiny quantities of their own label, VHR, Vine Hill Ranch, to the tune of about 500 cases annually. Although Bruce describes VHR as an "artisinal wine producer" not drawn to technology for its own sake, innovation is on constant display at Vine Hill Ranch, whether in its sustainable farming and vineyard redevelopment techniques, or in its meticulous winemaking practices. The buzz around this brand is frenzied. In the words of Antonio Galloni, "Readers who haven’t tasted Vine Hill Ranch owe it to themselves to do so. This is without question one of the most exciting properties in Napa Valley today."