The Difference
A Rarefied Circle
David Green and Maayan Koschitzky have an enviable rolodex. Between the two of them, they have contacts at hundreds of the best wineries in Napa and Sonoma Counties, and monthly contact with at least 50. This places them at the front of the line for new sourcing opportunities, whether it’s for prime vineyard contracts or a blue-chip winery with five or six more barrels of coveted Cabernet than they know they can sell.
On-Scene, Real-time Knowledge
Maayan’s role as Director of Winemaking for Atelier Melka finds him making the rounds in the vineyards of nearly every AVA in Napa and Sonoma Counties, from the pop of the first Pinot Noir bud in Russian River Valley all the way through the season until the last Cabernet Sauvignon berry is picked on Howell Mountain.
What this means is that he has a running list in his mind of the best-performing AVAs in the North Coast, even before harvest begins. In this way Maayan can focus his energies on the very best-performing sites and “sweet spots” when choosing fruit and wines to buy for the Royal Prince label.
“Royal Prince Is Making the Best Wines You Can Buy for Your Money Right Now”
– Robb Report –
Excess wine vs. “Declassified” wine
Excess wine and declassified wine are not the same thing. Say you’re a Napa Valley winery with 500 cases’ worth of $150 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ready to go to the bottling tank, but you’re also looking at an inventory report from your warehouse showing five back vintages with 250 to 400 cases remaining of the same SKU. Sometimes the most prudent thing to do is pick up the phone and thin the herd. Maayan and David receive many such calls, and many of these wines find their way into Royal Prince. Contrast this with “declassified” barrels, which winemakers determine do not meet the standard for a particular bottling, and decide to “bulk out.” The differential in quality is stark.
Tasting and Blending
Much of the reason that Maayan is in such high demand as a winemaking consultant is his skill managing small fermentation lots and the intense scrutiny he brings to blending trials for clients. Managing the “architecture” of individual wines via blending ensures a balanced, harmonious end product. In every bottle of Royal Prince wine you’re getting the kind of expertise that some of California’s most elite wineries depend on.
Unflinching Commitment to Quality
Royal Prince is Maayan Koschitzky’s sole “négociant” project, and it always will be. Therefore his commitment to great quality can’t be compromised. “I want to make wines I can be very proud of,” he says. In every single bottle, we think you’ll see what he’s talking about.