ABOUT THE PRISONER

REDEFINING TASTE

When our first wine, The Prisoner, was released two decades ago as a complex blend of some of California’s best and most unusual grape varieties, it swiftly and permanently changed the perception of what a red blend wine could be.

Since then, we’ve grown to include a range of rule-bending blends with provocative label designs, being recognized by fans and wine critics alike as one of the most bold and innovative wine brands in the market, leading the resurgence of California luxury red blends and earning “cult” wine status.

Today, our Director of Winemaking Chrissy Wittmann and her team work with over 100 growers in northern California, bringing together exceptional fruit to produce a family of intriguing wines unrestricted by tradition. The Prisoner Wine Company is located on the legendary Highway29 in Napa Valley and welcomes visitors year-round for unexpected, immersive experiences.

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The Prisoner Red Blend Label, featuring Goya's Le Petit Prisonnier

THE LABEL

Our brand name and flagship label were inspired by an etching titled Le Petit Prisonnier by 19th century Spanish artist Francisco Goya. Its subtitle translates to “the custody is as barbaric as the crime”. The sketch is part of Goya’s series The Disasters of War, created as a visual protest to the injustice and brutality of the Spanish War of Independence in 1808. From our founding, The Prisoner Wine Company has stood against oppression while embracing creativity. Fighting injustices in our society, especially those tied to our prison and policing systems, is indelibly etched into our identity and a focus of our commitment as an organization. At The Prisoner, we know that the problems in the U.S. prison system are ingrained, nuanced, and seemingly intractable. We also believe that change can happen and that it starts with conversation, collaboration, and creativity.

Learn more about The Prisoner & Prison Reform below.

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THE PRISONER & PRISON REFORM

We are acutely aware of the responsibility we have in using The Prisoner’s platform to drive awareness and action. Click on the button below to learn more about The Prisoner and Prison Reform.

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THE WINEMAKERS

CHRISSY WITTMANN

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKING

Chrissy Wittmann came to winemaking in an unconventional way. After earning a B.S. in Ecology and Systematic Biology at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, the future winemaker found her love for wine while analyzing soil and waste water samples in a lab. After serving time as a laboratory enologist, Chrissy returned to Cal Poly, achieving her master’s degree in Agriculture.

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TODD RICARD

DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKING

Todd Ricard graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Wine & Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. He learned the ins and outs of the winemaking process hands-on as a cellar worker during his internship at Le Cuvier Winery in Paso Robles. After the internship, Todd accepted an assistant winemaker role at the winery and began to see the shape of his future in the business. "I realized how much care and work goes into crafting wines that truly represent a sense of place. That really struck a chord with me,” comments Todd.

Armed with a solid foundation in the industry, Todd joined the Wild Horse Winery team as a cellar worker and laboratory technician in 2010. Three years of hard work and dedication later, he was promoted to assistant winemaker, and then promoted again to senior winemaker in 2016. After briefly serving as winery manager at Castoro Cellars, Todd joined The Prisoner Wine Company and is now the Director of Winemaking. His prior experience creating a diversity of wines at Wild Horse Winery and Castoro Cellars prepared him well for The Prisoner Wine Company’s multi-varietal blends.

BRETT YOUNG

EXECUTIVE CHEF

Brett Young grew up in Lodi, home to many of California’s oldest Zinfandel vineyards. With a clear passion for the kitchen, he enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, New York City. From there he worked in diverse kitchens such as The Ritz-Carlton Millennia in Singapore, Mix Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa Valley, all of which shaped his thinking about all things food, wine and exceptional hospitality.

Bruno Solari out in his Calistoga vineyard.

SOLARI FAMILY VINEYARD

Calistoga

Bruno Solari and his four siblings, Giulia, Diana, Tony and Kelley are 3rd generation farmers in Calistoga. The Solari’s farm with old school sensibilities and new school techniques. We have been fortunate enough to purchase Zinfandel for The Prisoner from this vineyard since 2005. It produces small yet immensely flavored berries.

Jack & Kathy Pagendarm out in their St. Helena vineyard.

KORTE RANCH

St. Helena

Owned by Jack and Kathy Pagendarm, this vineyard has been part of their family for over 100 years and is situated in the heart of St. Helena. Kathy is known for her daily ritual of walking the length of the vineyard and caring for the vines. We have sourced fruit from this special vineyard since 2005.

TIEDEMANN RANCH

Yountville

Planted and farmed in the 1970’s by Larry Bettinelli and his father-in-law, Irv Tiedemann. Keeping the family tradition alive, he now farms the land with his son, Giancarlo Bettinelli and his son-in-law Paul Goldberg. Working with this family business has been a truly special experience. The vineyard is a perfect showcase of both head trained and wire-trained Zinfandel, and has been in our family of growers since 2004.

YORK CREEK

Spring Mountain, St. Helena

York Creek Vineyard is located high on the south facing slopes of the Spring Mountain District in St. Helena. Fritz Maytag of Maytag Blue Cheese and Anchor Steam Brewing purchased the land in 1968 and planted grapes in amongst the native forests and rambling streams that flourish there. The vineyard produces deep colored wines, full of spice and dark fruit flavors.

MATTERN

Talmage Bench, Mendocino

Mattern is located on the rich, red soils of Talmage Bench in Mendocino County. Originally planted in the 1930’s and '40s and owned by John Mattern, this biodynamically grown vineyard is an extremely warm site — perfect for Zinfandel.

Aparicio Vineyard, Sutter Creek Region, Amador

APARICIO SUTTER CREEK REGION, AMADOR

Sutter Creek

Originally planted from 1980-81 by Joe Aparicio, the “Goblet” style vineyard perfectly performs year after year. This old-world pruning style allows the grapes to hang freely, get ample air flow, and bathe in perfectly filtered light. Extremely unique soils for this region, its bright red and rocky soil holds a rich volcanic history.

GRIST VINEYARD

Dry Creek

Situated at 1,000 ft above the Dry Creek valley floor, this head trained Zinfandel vineyard sits on iron rich, red volcanic soils. The vineyard is on the western ridge of the Dry Creek appellation, and benefits from the cool afternoon breezes which roll in from the Pacific Ocean, tempering the warmth of a typical Dry Creek Valley summer day.

SANGIACOMO

Carneros

The Sangiacomo family has been farming in the Carneros and Sonoma Valley areas since the 1950s. We work with three different blocks of this vineyard to add to the complexity and structure of Blindfold. Another source for the wine is one of the oldest estates in Sonoma Valley – the Kunde family which has over 100 years of history in the area. We source Viognier from a West facing slope of the vineyard which adds floral notes to the wine.

RODGERS VINEYARD

Yountville

We source Viognier from the Rodgers vineyard located in Yountville which adds intensity and a floral component to the wine.

OBSIDIAN RIDGE

Red Hills

Obsidian Ridge Vineyard is situated in the high Mayacamas at 2,640 feet above sea level and is regarded for its red volcanic and obsidian-rich soils. The soil and location provide excellent drainage, added light refraction and heat retention, to produce full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with soft tannins.