Napa Valley’s Gamble Family Vineyards names new winemakers

Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky of Atelier Melka have been appointed as winemakers of Gamble Family Vineyards, which owns approximately 175 acres of vineyards in Napa County appellations such as Oakville, Mt. Veeder, Rutherford and Yountville.

Jim Close, who has been founding winemaker since Gamble’s first vintage in 2005, will collaborate with the Melka team to help transition the winemaking duties, the Oakville-based company stated.

Owner Tom Gamble has plans, the company added, to release a new region-specific tier of wines based on his sustainably farmed estate-vineyards in Oakville, Mt. Veeder and Rutherford and use farming, sourcing and other efforts to further elevate its "flagship" brand, Paramont.

Melka has more than 25 years of winemaking experience and, since returning to Napa in 1994, has been a consultant under his company name, Atelier Melka, founded in 1995.

Koschitzky has worked for Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle. In early 2014, he joined Atelier Melka as the director of winemaking.

“We’re thrilled to have Philippe and Maayan on board,” stated Gamble. “As we have and continue to replant our vineyard properties, we do so with the mindset of elevating quality and sustainability. Coupled with these intense viticulture endeavors, I’m certain that the Melka team’s expertise will continue to elevate wines of Gamble Family Vineyards in years to come.”