The Debate, St. Helena Winery & Tasting Room

The Debate was founded in 2010 by winemaker Jean Hoefliger, a Swiss native trained at Château Lynch-Bages and Château Carbonnieux in Bordeaux, and Rob McKay, an heir to the family behind Taco Bell's growth into a national franchise. The idea grew out of the two friends' enjoyment of spirited conversation, applied to wine: rather than a single house style, The Debate sources from multiple distinct Napa Valley vineyards to let differing terroirs argue their own case in the glass.

The winery bottles single-vineyard, single-variety Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc exclusively, drawing from sites including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, Stagecoach, and the Sacrashe Vineyard in Rutherford, with consultant Michel Rolland joining the winemaking team. Hoefliger, who has also made wine for Newton Vineyard, Alpha Omega, and Italy's Montaverro, continues to steer The Debate's focus on letting each individual site speak clearly rather than blending toward a house style.

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