Boris Champy (left) is leaving Napa’s Dominus Estate in December and being replaced by Tod Mostero (right).



This may be of little significance to most people, but having just spent some time with the two of them, I can say I will be sorry to see Boris go. We’ve talked a couple of times over the years and Napa doesn’t have enough winemakers like him—very intelligent and articulate and committed to doing things the right way. No cutting corners, no compromises. Dominus sort of gets forgotten in the race between high-end Napa wineries, but its wines are continuously balanced and restrained—not the overoaked, overripe and overexposed wines that, well, I’m just over.