“Metaphora observes the time-honored practices that include carefully monitored growing, an impeccably timed harvest, handpicked and hand-sorted grapes placed in small bins, cold-soaked for maximum extraction of the skins, whole cluster fermentation, and meticulously managed aging in the highest quality French oak barrels.”
Wine has long been a metaphor for the best life has to offer – a celebration of family and friends, momentous events, the ultimate symbol of living well. For Metaphora founder, Ravi Mehta, the meaning runs deeper: it is a playful pun in honor of his family: “Four Mehtas,” an homage to artisan winemaking which prizes the integrity of each bottle, and a celebration of wine as the quintessential embodiment of joie de vivre, represented by the Three Graces: Aglaia (Splendor), Euphrosyne (Mirth), and Thalia (Good Cheer), who adorn the label and speak to the philosophy behind Metaphora wines.
Each bottle is a meditation on wine as art – utilizing the best grapes from Napa Valley’s most famed vineyards, and dedicated to excellence in winemaking, each vintage is handcrafted and made in limited quantities to ensure that quality is never compromised. Metaphora observes the time-honored practices that include carefully monitored growing, an impeccably timed harvest, handpicked and hand-sorted grapes placed in small bins, cold-soaked for maximum extraction of the skins, whole cluster fermentation, and meticulously managed aging in the highest quality French oak barrels.
Chef Thomas Keller selected the first vintage of Metaphora Rosé of Pinot Noir to complement his cuisine at the prestigious Bocuse D’Or in 2010, and it has the distinction of being the only domestic rosé on the wine list at the French Laundry.
The first vintage of Metaphora Cabernet Sauvignon in 2005 was a collaboration with acclaimed winemakers Chuck and Joseph Wagner of renowned Caymus Vineyards, and continues today in the hands of present winemaker, Mark Herold, who places an emphasis on the dynamic dialogue between fine food and wine. Chef Thomas Keller selected the first vintage of Metaphora Rosé of Pinot Noir to complement his cuisine at the prestigious Bocuse D’Or in 2010, and it has the distinction of being the only domestic rosé on the wine list at the French Laundry.
The classic circular pose of the Three Graces is said to symbolize the three aspects of the gift: giving, accepting, and returning. And for Ravi, the realization of Metaphora is a gift— the culmination of his lifelong passion for wine, which led to a home in the hills of Napa Valley and the production of Metaphora. Each bottle represents, for him, the unity of family and the deep joy of friendship – an expression of the way in which good wine draws people together. The release of these personal, small-lot wines to wine enthusiasts is the completion of a circle. He believes the truly transcendent quality of wine is that it is best when shared, and hopes Metaphora wines will be a gift you share with those closest to you and plays a part in creating your treasured memories – whether to mark a significant event, special meal, or merely a successful days’ end.
The Three Graces imbue every occasion with beauty, charm and inspiration, and so too does wine. Throughout history, it has been the expression of human happiness and joy, and it is the core of the philosophy at Metaphora that wine is more than a beverage, and even the greatest wines are more than the sum of their parts. Wine is metaphor— the music in our lives, a time to pause and make each day a celebration.