A new Napa Valley wine label promises pedigree without pretense. Royal Prince Wines aims to make delicious wines for the many, not cult wines for the elite. The creation of winemaker Maayan Koschitzky and vintner David Green, Royal Prince Wines includes a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, and a Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.
With Royal Prince Wines, Koschitzky and Green’s focus is on the ‘democratization of deliciousness.’ The duo hopes that their wines can expand the conversation of what greatness is allowed to be and taste. Their wines which are earmarked for the table, not just the cellar.
(Photo: Maayan Koschitzky left, David Green, right)
Koschitzky and Green come from pedigreed backgrounds but each has largely spent his career behind-the-scenes building wine brands and crafting wine for others. Koschitzky is a partner at and director of winemaking for Atelier Melka, Philippe Melka’s eponymous winemaking consulting company. He also produces wine in his native Israel and was a 2019 recipient of Wine Enthusiast magazine’s ‘Top 40 under 40.’ Green’s background includes serving as the founding president at Napa Valley’s Dana Estates, general manager for Joel Gott Wines, and as president of his management consulting firm, which specializes in strategy, financial planning, branding and sales for the luxury wine business.
Both Koschitzky and Green’s connections with growers and winemakers allow them unique access to source fruit with the best expression from prime growing regions, and Koschitzky’s blending acumen takes the wines to the next level, resulting in wines that massively overdeliver for their price. “Royal Prince Wines allows me the chance to use my experience and expertise to identify the best fruit quality from a variety of appellations in a given vintage and then blend to create something that we see as ‘shining stars,’ wines that are both delicious and affordable,” said Koschitzky.
“We love drinking and bringing to market wines that hail from iconic and pedigreed provenance and saw a hole in the market with wines at this price point from a winemaker of Maayan’s caliber,” says Green. “Our model is being lean and nimble so that we produce wines that can sit at the same table as these esteemed siblings, but where we have the flexibility to blend the best of every vintage. Redefining greatness at these price points is our mission.”