Experience the unconventional. That is the tag line you are greeted with when you enter the 11|11 website. It is also the feeling that hits you when you walk into their winery. The name itself means something that could not have happened by chance, and it’s no wonder considering this winery’s amazing story of beginnings. We had the chance to visit the winery, taste the wines, talk with the owners, and indeed experience the unconventional.
The Winery. Our trips to Napa are always filled with laughter, good friends, and great wines. But our time at 11|11 was unlike anything we’ve seen before. The atmosphere is comfortable; it’s hard not to feel at ease as soon as you walk in. Silks drape from the ceiling and create a nice juxtaposition with the rustic but contemporary décor. Our owner described it as “extremely inviting” and “stunning.” And of course our resident Sparkly Wine Mermaid has a much more descriptive response. In her words, “from the moment I walked in I felt I was a part of an exotic traveling circus.”
The People. While we love a beautiful winery, it doesn’t mean much if the wines fall flat. But this winery holds up on every level. The tasting room knows their wines and it turns out if you sit there long enough (and believe us, we did) you may even get to have a glass with the owner! It was then we got to hear and amazing story of new beginnings.
The owners, Ellie and Aurelien, met on an international flight. It was not a match made in heaven at first. As is the custom with people of great passion, they at first did not see eye to eye. But over the course of that flight, a friendship was formed. And from that friendship, and a shared passion for the extraordinary, a partnership was forged. We’ll let you in on a little secret: the team at Taste of Purple just loves a great origin story, and I mean LOVE. We are made up of dreamers, hopeless romantics, and tireless visionaries. They had us at international flight! But wait, the best part is yet to come: the wines.
The Wines. The wines are as elegant and diverse as the people! We enjoyed a 2013 Cabernet that had a bold, new world feel. But their 2012 cabernet was a completely different experience. Highly tannic and well balanced; we could taste the earth in this wine. Their whites were just as intricate (our owner loved their chardonnay!)
Our takeaway from this winery was summed up in three words: Make your Moment. That is what the 11|11 team is all about, making the most of every moment and living life to the fullest. We at Taste of Purple could not agree more with this philosophy and we are excited to make many moments in the future with a glass of 11|11 in our hands!