Afterwords Wine was founded by Anton & Lisa Van de Plas with their inaugural release in 2019. Anton was born and raised in the Netherlands; while at college he started the Tilburg Foreign Lawn Review, a student-run law journal. This led to his founding of Vandeplas Publishing, a publishing practice, focusing on legal textbooks for law students but also books on government policy and business (both print and e-books). While living in the Netherlands he visited the U.S. several times, ultimately deciding he wanted to move to the states. He recalls he traveled with only two suitcases, one containing books and one containing clothes. He settled in Florida; while attending a horse show in Tampa he met Lisa for the first time. Born and raised in Elmira, New York (incidentally the birthplace of Tommy Hilfiger and the final resting place of Mark Twain), her mother introduced her to horses at a very young age. Based on her passion for horses and riding, she and Anton published an equestrian magazine from 1998 to 2003.
Anton’s interest in wine began when he enrolled in a 26 week course offered by the International Guild of Sommeliers in Orlando. He remembers this was a very hands on class with numerous blind tastings. Looking to further his education he started traveling to various wine regions in California. Eventually he suggested to Lisa that they move to California. She agreed. They relocated to Napa Valley in 2012 and since then, have both worked for a number of wineries.
While continuing to publish law books, they chose the name Afterwords to reflect the eventual transition from a career in publishing words to now producing wines in Napa Valley.
They were introduced to their winemaker Julien Fayard through one of Lisa’s friends who used to work in hospitality at Covert Estate. Anton & Lisa began purchasing wines bottled under his own brands; sometimes they even enjoyed wines from other brands without first knowing that Julien had crafted them. His style and palate matches their own.
Transitioning from passionate consumers to Napa Valley vintners is a big step, even for a micro producer – and is a learning process. One has to secure bottles, capsules, corks, labels and all the licensing and then what many vintners will admit, the most challenging part, making sales. Afterwords is primarily sold direct to consumer through their website. Those interested in purchasing wines can sign up for their mailing list; list members are then provided an allocation of each of their red wines.
Select Wines
PREFACE
During our first visit with Anton and Lisa, we were looking forward to trying the Afterwords inaugural red wine bottlings but discovered a sleeper wine, their beautiful rosé. But we should not have been surprised considering Julien’s background and history of producing exceptional rosé bottlings.
The 2024 Afterwords PREFACE California Rosé is a blend of Syrah and Grenache and was made Methode Provençale with no malolactic fermentation. This wine is pale copper; the bouquet smells vibrant and full of energy a year post vintage. A serious, cerebral and minerally bottling, its scents include pink grapefruit, strawberry guava, an aromatic we are intimately familiar with as we recently enjoyed some of these today from our small tree, citrus blossom, lemon zest, lime and a subtle note of chalk. On the palate there are flavors of ruby grapefruit, starfruit, lime, kiwi, passion fruit, wild strawberries, Rainier cherry, pomelo, white nectarine and pineapple guava. Its rounded and lightly fleshy texture is supported perfectly by it’s balanced and bright acidity. Lingers with a subtle note of white pepper and a hint of fennel. Its ABV is a listed 12.5%. Refreshing, our first thought in terms of a pairing would be with an insalata caprese.
The 2022 Afterwords PREFACE California Rosé is primarily Syrah with a small amount of Grenache in the blend – both varieties are from Amador County. This wine is pale copper in color; the bouquet is lively and minerally offering aromas of an orange peel zest, rose petals, raspberries and as it opens it reveals scents of citrus blossom. Balanced, flavorful and vibrant this bottling offers flavors of mandarin orange, a hint of ruby grapefruit, wild strawberries and white peaches. It’s texture is rounded and gentle. The grapes for this wine were grown specifically for this bottling (rather than bleeding off). And it did not go through any secondary fermentation. Preface refers to an introduction or a prelude to, a wine to be savored before tasting their more robust reds.
NARRATIVE
The 2023 Afterwords NARRATIVE Proprietary Red Blend, Napa Valley is a blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. This wine is deep ruby and completely opaque; it is not lacking in terms of color. The richly endowed bouquet offers immediate satisfaction, a union of ripe dark fruits and barrel influences. These scents are of blackberry, dark cherry, boysenberry, Santa Rosa plums with additional non-fruited notes including pipe tobacco, lavender, pencil shavings and dried sage. A bit more savory on the palate than we anticipated after noting its scents, this wine tastes like blackberry, dark cherry, boysenberry, Satsuma plum, dried tobacco leaf, roasted herbs including sage, a light note of dark pepper and smoked cedar. Smooth and medium bodied, the tannins are rounded spheres seamlessly integrated into the finish with their gentle and lightly dusty/gravelly textured feel. This wine was aged for 21 months in 65% new French oak barrels; only three barrels were produced. Its listed ABV is 14.9%. Smelling the rack of ribs covered in assorted dried herbs roasting in the oven downstairs is making us think that this bottling will be an ideal complement to that dish.
The 2021 Afterwords NARRATIVE Proprietary Red Blend, Napa Valley is a blend of about equal parts Merlot from the Barking Dog Vineyard in Coombsville and Cabernet Sauvignon from Calistoga. Vineyard sources may change but this bottling will always be a red blend. This wine is deep ruby with purple hues and is opaque in the glass; the bouquet offers an intriguing fragrance that is simultaneously focused on fruit, floral and influences from its barrel aging. It offers scents of dark plum, blackberry, cherry, boysenberry and violets and as the wine evolves in the glass it reveals a subtle note of dried herbs including sage. Deeper in the aromas are some notes of mocha, espresso and chocolate, The palate somewhat mirrors the bouquet with intense flavors of plum, dark cherry and black raspberry. A savory note appears on the finish including crushed peppercorn, dried herbs and a woodsy cedar nuance. The juicy finish lingers with a drying character and broadly distributed, grainy, gritty and persistent tannins. The focus here is clearly on the fruit, both on the bouquet and the palate. Narrative refers to connected events forming a story, in this case, a blend if you will of varieties and vineyard sources.
ANECDOTE
The 2023 Afterwords Anecdote Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot) primarily from Coombsville, is deep ruby and completely opaque; color extraction was not an issue with this wine in the cellar. The bouquet is immediately lifted by its floral characteristics including scents of African violets, lilac and lavender. And some other non fruited aromas including of old cedar box and pipe tobacco. Its fruit includes dark plum, blackberry and boysenberry. And a finishing note of smoked cedar, dried sage, dried tobacco leaf and darker baking spices including clove. The palate is a union of both bright fruit and barrel influence. We love the texture here, the interplay of tannins, fruit and acidity. This wine finishes with a well tumbled, gravelly, dusty, chalky, chewy, moderate to firm grip, extending beyond the fruit on the finish. Minerally. This is the inaugural bottling of this wine.
EPILOGUE
The 2023 Afterwords EPILOGUE Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal with two barrels from Sleeping Lady Vineyard and a barrel from George III. This wine is deep ruby and opaque; the bouquet is focused on the purity of the fruit at this ripeness. Its a fresh and ripe fruited expression, smelling like dark plum, boysenberry, blackberry, Persian mulberry, sweet tobacco spice and a floral undertone of perhaps lilac. The oak takes more of a back seat, letting the variety and vineyards shine. Shows plenty of intensity at this young age, the palate is dark fruited with flavors of blackberry, plum, and boysenberry. The finish persists with a pronounced chalky/dusty and or minerally character. The broadly coating tannins linger with a grainy and gravelly firm gripping handshake, continuing to keep your palate fully engaged with its drying grip well beyond the fruit. An exceptional wine from an exceptional year. Built to age.
The 2021 EPILOGUE Cabernet Sauvignon (100% varietal) was sourced from the Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville. This wine is deep ruby, opaque and features an amaranthine rim. The dark and sweetly fruited aromas are immediately expressive revealing scents of boysenberry, mulberry and blackberry. There is also a floral tone here including of violets and rose petals. And as the wine opens further, it reveals additional notes of chocolate and light baking spices. The aromas are ripe but they never cross into the lane of being opulent. The palate is equally as well layered as the nose; it sports flavors of blackberry, plum, licorice and dark raspberry. The density of tannins are clearly felt with their firm and persistent grip, but their texture is rounded. They offer a certain weight without being too heavy. The finish shows an influence of both oak and grape tannins accompanied by a darker tobacco spice. Epilogue refers to a finish or concluding event. And in a nod to Anton’s heritage, from personal experience, this wine pairs extremely well with aged gouda (the more calcium lactate crystals in the cheese the better).
GIII
The 2023 Afterwords Cabernet Sauvignon, GIII Vineyard Rutherford Napa Valley is deep ruby and opaque. The aromatics are immediately compelling, offering redolent aromas of dark plum, blackberry, boysenberry, Persian mulberry with some sweet non fruited undertones including of mocha, vanilla, cocoa powder, Graham cracker and sweet tobacco. On the palate there are flavors of cherry, blackberry, dark plum and chalk. This wine lingers with a finishing note of assorted baking spices including cinnamon and dried tobacco leaf. The tannins are thoroughly dusty, but rounded, broadly coating with a persistent gravelly texture. The acidity is balanced and bright. One can feel what Andre Ttcheleiff first coined as the “Rutherford dust” both in terms of this wine’s texture and its dusty character. In 2023, they signed a long term lease for 9 rows of grapes from Beckstoffer’s Georges III Vineyard in Rutherford. This block has since been pulled out and starting in 2025 the block source changed to block H1 with access to rows 60 through 62.
The 2023 Afterwords Cabernet Sauvignon,G III Vineyard Rutherford Napa Valley is deep ruby and opaque. The aromatics are immediately compelling, offering redolent aromas of dark plum, blackberry, boysenberry, Persian mulberry with some sweet non fruited undertones including of mocha, vanilla, cocoa powder, Graham cracker and sweet tobacco. On the palate there are flavors of cherry, blackberry, dark plum and chalk. This wine lingers with a finishing note of assorted baking spices including cinnamon and dried tobacco leaf. The tannins are thoroughly dusty, but rounded, broadly coating with a persistent gravelly texture. The acidity is balanced and bright. One can feel what Andre Ttcheleiff first coined as the “Rutherford dust” both in terms of this wine’s texture and its dusty character. For reference, starting in 2025, the block source changed to block H1 in since the original block was pulled out with access to rows 60 through 62.
POSTSCRIPT
The 2023 POSTSCRIPT Syrah, Coombsville Napa Valley (100% varietal); this wine is deep ruby, inky and opaque with an amaranthine rim. This is a ripe expression of the variety, but still expresses some of the characteristics we so enjoy from this variety. There is a floral bent here including of lilac, lavender and African violets. Its fruit includes boysenberry, Persian mulberry, dark raspberry and dark licorice. With a additional note of cigar box, sage, rosemary and clove. Dark fruited, with plenty of depth, this wine tastes like plum, blackberry, boysenberry and mulberry. And there is a savory character at play, especially noticeable on the finish with a note of dark pepper (but not peppery), dried sage, chalk and bacon fat. The tannins are grainy and gravelly, but already well integrated into the finish at this age, two years post vintage. Beautiful. Like their rose, this is one of their sleeper wines; and it will never make it on the tasting menu at the tasting room. So you have to ask to buy it.
Afterwords tasting room + Liv & Well, Napa
During the first week of September 2025 Afterwords Wines and Liv & Well moved into 1315 1st Street in downtown Napa (soft opening). This space has been home to a number of tenants over the years; in the 1980s it was home to Ed Huber Jewelers. From 1995 through 2003 it housed The Working Man’s store, selling related clothing, ultimately closing when the owner Jerry Davis retired after a 26-year run. It most recently was occupied by Acumen Winery.
In May 2023 Lisa opened LIV & WELL, a women’s boutique store in a small space at 606 Main Street in downtown Napa near the Napa River. This was the original space for this clothing store. In addition to women’s fashion, she also offers a selection of skincare, home goods, and wine country accessories including books. Lisa is an avid shopper; in terms of finding trendy and comfortable clothing for her store, she attends fashion and trade shows and frequents online wholesale outlets.
Sometimes she uses the shop after hours to host private clients and has partners with winemakers for other fashion + wine events. And occasionally she will treat shoppers to the Afterwords rosé. A dedicated room is used for hosting tastings of the Afterwords wines; an adjoining space houses multiple vintages and bottlings of their wines. Tastings are generally hosted by either Anton or Lisa. The store is open daily. For more information, visit: www.livandwell.shop
Maison Fayard, Napa
Select bottles of Afterwords wines are available for sale at Maison Fayard; this space opened on September 23, 2023. The previous tenant was Engel & Volkers; after they vacated the premises the space was remarkably renovated and completed in about 3 weeks – perhaps some sort of record for shortest amount of time needed to convert an existing space into a tasting room in downtown Napa. The interior remodel was overseen by Cruz Calderon (co-proprietor of Scalon Cellars). Artwork will rotate from time to time; the inaugural artist represented was Laurie Shelton, also proprietor of CAMi Vineyards (known for her paintings of colorful cows).
Maison Fayard is a collection of wines produced by Julien Fayard including wines under his own ownership (Julien Fayard, Purlieu, Just Pink, Les Vins Julien and Covert Estate). Most of the brands he makes wine for are from Napa Valley but there are several producers whose focus is non Napa Valley wines. This collection is diverse including varieties and price points. The interior is partly a bottle shop and a tasting space with a private room located upstairs for more intimate tasting. Maison Fayard is located at 1408 2nd Street in downtown Napa.
This part of 2nd Street (between Franklin & School streets, sometimes locally referred to as SoFi – south of First Street) has seen as much of a renaissance as any other part of downtown. One of Fayard’s nearby wine neighbors, Gamling & McDuck were one of the very first businesses part of this burst of energy brought to this part of the city. It’s a hip and happening place to hang out, especially on the weekends and features a variety of welcoming shops including tasting rooms.
Anton and Lisa chose the image of a book owl to represent their wines, an homage to their history of publishing. And while the text on the white label provides some texture, its words describe the meaning of Afterwords.
Total production has grown from less than 300 cases per year to now about 600 cases, with each wine generally under 100 cases. They will grow slowly and organically as needed but prefer to keep their production small. One retail client is The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection in Park City, Utah. For more information or to purchase current release wines, visit: www.afterwords.wine
ARCHIVED PHOTOGRAPHY (original location for Liv & Well)
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