Friendships and Collaboration

Jeffrey Cohen and I had stopped by to visit with member Craig Jeffries and his longtime friend, Stu Lerner. Marianne and Craig Jeffries had introduced Jeffrey to Stu a little over a year earlier, and what started as a professional introduction had quickly grown into a genuine friendship.

A bottle was already open. The wine was extraordinary — beautifully balanced, layered and effortless to drink. But as memorable as the wine was, it wasn’t what stood out most that evening.

It was the friendship.

Stu and Craig had been fraternity brothers in California decades ago. Listening to them tell stories was almost as entertaining as tasting the wine itself. Stu had us laughing from the moment we sat down, while Craig wore the familiar smile of someone who had heard many of those stories before and knew exactly where they were headed.

Then, almost without ceremony, the conversation shifted.

Stu looked across the table and said, “We should do a private label.”

I looked back at him and asked, “You’d really do that with us?”

His answer came without hesitation. “Of course.”

I had only one request: “If we’re going to put the Cordillera Ranch name on a bottle, it has to be exceptional.”

Stu smiled, “What else would we be talking about?”

I reached for the nearest cocktail napkin with the Cordillera Ranch C-Star, held it against the bottle sitting on the table, and all four of us paused for a moment. It looked right. That simple napkin became the first glimpse of what would become the inaugural private-label wines of Cordillera Ranch — and a fitting way to commemorate the Club’s 20th Anniversary.

The funny part is that the idea had actually been waiting for years.

For nearly a decade, our Wine Specialist, Jeffrey Cohen, had hoped the Club would one day have a private-label wine worthy of the Cordillera Ranch name. Not simply a custom label, but a wine crafted by people he respected and one he would be proud to pour for our members.

That opportunity arrived through relationships and a simple introduction. Jeffrey later invited Stu to the Ranch for one of our Meet the Maker dinners, where members experienced The Lerner Project wines firsthand. The response was immediate. The wines were expressive, beautifully made and unforgettable.

More importantly, a friendship had begun. Sometimes that’s how the best ideas happen. Not in a boardroom. Around a table. With good people. And a great bottle of wine.

Once everyone agreed, the timeline became incredibly tight. June bottling was already approaching, leaving only a matter of weeks to finalize artwork, complete label approvals, coordinate screen printing, and prepare the bottles.

Together, we committed to two barrels of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and two barrels of Chardonnay — approximately 600 bottles of each.

I remember looking over at Jeffrey and asking, “What are we going to do with 1,200 bottles of wine?”

He smiled without missing a beat, “I’m going to sell every one of them.”

Anyone who has tasted these wines understands that confidence.

More Than a Private Label

What makes this project special isn’t simply that Cordillera Ranch now has its own wine. It’s who helped create it. Stu Lerner founded The Lerner Project with a philosophy centered on producing wines that faithfully express exceptional vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. His flagship estate sits atop the historic Armstrong Ranch on Diamond Mountain above Calistoga, where elevation, volcanic soils and meticulous farming produce fruit of remarkable depth and character.

Equally significant is Stu’s longtime partnership with acclaimed Napa Valley winemaker Russell Bevan. Among collectors and serious wine enthusiasts, Bevan’s name commands enormous respect.

Named Wine Advocate’s 2015 Winemaker of the Year, he has crafted more than forty perfect 100-point wines throughout his career — an accomplishment achieved by only a select handful of winemakers. His wines consistently rank among Napa Valley’s finest, celebrated for their richness, balance and extraordinary ability to age gracefully.

For us, that mattered. If Cordillera Ranch was going to introduce its first private-label wine, we wanted it to reflect the same commitment to excellence our members expect throughout the Club.

This partnership gave us exactly that.

Texas to Wine Country

A few weeks later, Jeffrey, Executive Chef Isaac Cantu and I traveled to Northern California to witness the bottling.

Like any hospitality professionals, we took every opportunity to reconnect with friends, visit respected wineries, experience memorable restaurants, and continue learning from some of the industry’s very best.

One evening we drove to Stu’s home on historic Armstrong Ranch. The setting was unforgettable. Vineyards stretched down the mountainside while sweeping views looked toward Calistoga and the iconic Château Montelena estate beyond.

Stu welcomed us as friends rather than guests. His private chef prepared dinner while bottle after bottle emerged from his cellar. We talked about vineyards, farming, blending, vintages, hospitality, and the countless small decisions that separate very good wines from truly memorable ones. More than anything, we talked about getting this project right.

The following morning, we arrived at the mobile bottling facility. Watching nearly 60 bottles every minute move through the bottling line was remarkable, but what impressed us most wasn’t the equipment. It was the pride. Stu wanted us involved in every step of the process because these weren’t simply bottles carrying our name. They were bottles carrying our story.

The First Vintage

Our inaugural collection includes two wines crafted exclusively for Cordillera Ranch.

2023 Cordillera Ranch Chardonnay

“A true expression of its vintage. The warm 2023 growing season blessed this Chardonnay with remarkable richness and layers of ripe tropical fruit. Bright and lively on the palate, it unfolds into a long, satisfying finish of golden fruit and toasted vanilla. This is a Chardonnay of both generosity and precision, crafted to be enjoyed now and savored slowly.”

— Russell Bevan & Stu Lerner

2024 Cordillera Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

“Deep, dark purple in the glass. This Cabernet Sauvignon opens with luxurious notes of ripe plum and dark cherry, framed by an elegant thread of savory herbs on the finish. Long and complex, it delivers immediate pleasure today while holding the structure to reward years in the cellar. A vein of fresh acidity keeps it vibrant from first sip to last, making it a natural companion at the table.”

— Russell Bevan & Stu Lerner

Whether opened to celebrate a special evening, shared with friends around the dinner table, or carefully tucked away in a cellar for years to come, we hope these wines become part of your own memories at Cordillera Ranch. These bottles will be arriving at the Club in September, so keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about how to purchase some of these special edition wines.

For Jeffrey, this project is more than the launch of a private-label wine. It’s the realization of an idea he quietly carried for nearly a decade — waiting patiently until the right people, the right partnership and the right wines finally came together.

For our culinary team, it creates exciting new opportunities to pair extraordinary wines with extraordinary food.

For the Club, it marks a meaningful milestone as we celebrate 20 years of community, friendship and hospitality.

Every bottle tells a story. Ours began exactly where the label says it did. With a glass of wine in Twin Sisters.