Our Story. Two very close friends with a common dream of producing a fine
wine founded Karl Lawrence Cellars in 1991. The name "Karl Lawrence" comes from
combining the middle names of the two founding partners: Michael Karl Trujillo
and Bryan Lawrence Henry. Our venture together will have the common goal of producing
a unique and outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon wine from the wonderful Napa Valley.
Michael's background in the wine industry goes back to 1982. While involved in
his college studies in Colorado, a spring break from school had him traveling
to Napa Valley to visit his friend, Jim Allen. Jim and his Brother Steve were
busy replanting vineyards and constructing their winery, Sequoia grove Winery.
With Michael's farming and ranching background, working in the vineyards and in
the construction of Jim's winery fit right in. A short visit soon turned into
a few weeks, and a few weeks turned into months and before long Michael ventured
into his new career of winemaking. Along with the academic studies from the University
of Davis and Napa Valley college, Michael had the great opportunity to work closely
with many great winemakers such as Andre Tchelistcheff. Today, Michael is the
winemaker for Karl Lawrence Cellars as well as Associate winemaker for Sequoia
Grove Winery.
Bryan is a Napa Valley native and throughout his childhood has been involved in
many aspects of the wine industry. During his teenage years Bryan worked in both
the vineyards and in the wineries where he experienced many grape harvests. After
High School Bryan choose to study for a medical career which took him away from
Napa Valley. After all his studies and a short time with a medical practice in
Los Angeles, Bryan returned to the Napa Valley to open his own practice in St.
Helena. Being back home and having a successful practice soon had Bryan planting
his own vineyards and talking of producing great wine.
About Wine. To produce a fine wine it is absolutely necessary to have the
finest grapes. Karl Lawrence is very proud of its grape sources and the relationships
with the growers that grow them. Michael has many years of winemaking experience
with grapes from many areas of the Napa Valley. It is that experience which has
led him to the selection of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard for the Karl Lawrence
wines. One of the vineyard selections is the Morisoli Vineyard on the valley floor
near Rutherford. Fruit from this vineyard shows great Cabernet character and yields
a well-rounded wine with intense aroma and flavor, and lends a rich smooth feel
to the finished wine. Another vineyard selection is the Lamb Family Vineyard.
This hillside mountain vineyard on Howell Mountain produces a more intense and
concentrated fruit that gives a big, rich, spicy character to the blended wine.
The grapes are hand harvested at their optimum maturity and delivered to the winery.
Crushed to open top fermenters where they undergo fermentation. After fermentation
is complete the wine is then aged for twenty months in French oak barrels. The
wines are then carefully blended to achieve optimum balance and expression. Shortly
after blending the wine is bottled and then held for further aging in the bottle.
For the seventh consecutive year the Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon is made
from these two renowned vineyards. The combination and blending of the Morosoli
grapes and the Lamb Family grapes define the unique Karl Lawrence Cabernet style.
The grape combination produces a wine that is rich and full-bodied, well balanced,
and enhanced fruit and spice characters. A wine to remember!
Karl Lawrence Cellars / 4541 Monticello Rd. / Napa, CA 94558 / 707-255-2843
