United States · California

Havens

Havens Wine Cellars was a small Napa Valley winery founded by Michael Havens in the late 1980s, specializing in Merlot and Rhône varieties at a time when both were underexplored by Napa's Cabernet-centric establishment. The winery built a following with its Bourricot Syrah blend and Hudson Vineyard Syrah before Michael Havens retired and sold the label. The Hudson Vineyard in Carneros — shared with producers like Kistler, Kongsgaard, and Hirsch — is one of California's most celebrated white and red wine sites for Chardonnay, Syrah, and Viognier. Havens' Reserve Merlot was produced from premium Napa sources and positioned as a Pomerol-influenced alternative at a time when Napa Merlot was more commonly produced as an accessible varietal. At auction, 112 lots average just $46 per bottle — the lowest average in this database — reflecting the label's discontinued status and the modest collectibility of the wines relative to more famous Napa Merlot producers. The Hudson Syrah is the most interesting lot from a terroir perspective, occasionally reaching $60–$80 for the late 1990s vintages when it earned strong critical scores from Parker. Havens' pioneering work on Napa Merlot and Syrah in the late 1980s and early 1990s helped establish the commercial viability of these varieties in the valley before the Sideways film effect temporarily depressed California Merlot demand.