Kelham Wines

Kelham Wines is not associated with Oakham Estate (the former Kelham property) and visits for Kelham Wines are no longer hosted there. Ron Nicholson and his wife Lauren are the sole proprietors of Kelham Wines, having since acquired the significant and entire inventory of the Kelham library wines totaling approximately 40,000 cases including many large format bottles. For reference, the first Kelham Wines were produced from the 1998 vintage, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot.

Ron grew up in wine industry; he graduated from the University of Boulder with a degree in architecture. He has worked at several wineries in Napa Valley including Caymus (his first real wine job in 1991), then Cain Cellars in the mid 1990s and at Spring Mountain Vineyard.

Lauren who oversees the business operations for Kelham Wines is also a popular Youtuber, creating videos focused on home decor, cooking, and organizing.

Select wines
Kelham produces highly age worthy premium wines with a focus on estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Unlike a softer, drink now style commonly made of this variety, the Kelham’s philosophy has been to make Cabernet Sauvignon that is extremely complex, bold and very high in tannins; these are wines that are meant to sit for 10 to 15 years before opening. As a result, it is these rarer and older wines that are their current release offering, often 10 to 15 years old. These “robust wines” out of the gate need additional aging before reaching the consumer; they tend to age as well as or better than any Napa Cabernet Sauvignon we’ve tried in this age window. And we should add, their white wines also age particular well.

A Kelham Library wine means something different than most winery’s definition of library wines. Here the wines are already aged a decade plus before release – so library wines are even older – starting at 15 or 20 years.

Whites
The 2015 Kelham Vineyards Chardonnay, Napa Valley is deep gold in color 10 years post vintage. The compelling and lightly tangy bouquet is still very much generous with its aromatics having transformed from fresh to aged. Its scents include honeycomb, dried apricots and nectarines, baked apples, bruised apples, peaches in light syrup, ripe Alphonso mango, layers of butterscotch, crème brûlée and vanilla and a lingering but light nutty character including of hazelnut and toasted almonds. This wine tastes like fully ripe pineapple, papaya, baked apples, a zing of citrus flavors including mandarin orange and a light note of vanilla creeping in on the finish. Its texture is creamy, dense and silky. This appreciable weight might drag down a lesser made Chardonnay, but the intensity of fruit and its bright acidity keeps that from happening. The finish is rich, layered and oh so persistent. Beautiful. And aging extremely well. If this wine was a performance vehicle, perhaps a model of Porsche 911, it comes fully loaded with every upgrade and add-on included.

The 2008 Kelham Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc reveals a distinctive spicy note, complemented by ripe pineapple aromas that lend a gentle tropical warmth. The aromatics are bright and expressive, unfolding into layers of honeysuckle and fresh red apple, with a faint suggestion of citrus blossom adding lift. The wine shows a medium golden hue, hinting at a touch of development while still retaining vibrancy. The palate delivers an appreciable creaminess, with a noticeable weight on the entry that gives the wine a rounded, almost silky texture. Subtle stone fruit and orchard fruit tones emerge, supported by a soft, integrated richness. Yet the finish offers a surprising contrast—crisp, bright, and refreshing—bringing the wine back into balance with lively acidity. The interplay between weight, acidity, and flavor is particularly well judged, creating a harmonious and engaging structure. The wine lingers gracefully, leaving a subtle impression of orange zest and a faint mineral edge that adds complexity and lift. For reference, the final Kelham Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc was produced in 2012, making this bottling a meaningful snapshot of the winery’s style and evolution.

Rosé
The Kelham Vineyards Napa Valley Rosé is a non-vintage wine made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The Cabernet Sauvignon was made as a standalone wine and aged in barrel for two years and then blended with the Chardonnay. This color is immediately noticeable, sporting a deep orange salmon hue. The bouquet shows aromas of wet cement, muddled strawberries, nectarine and a whisper of vanilla. There is a pleasing softness on the palate; it is creamy with some weight but this texture is supported firmly by its vibrant acidity. This rosé is refreshing. The finish is rich in flavor, yet clean, featuring notes of raspberry and orange.

Reds
Pinot Noir
The 2012 Kelham Vineyards Pinot Noir was a one-off wine produced as a result of a trade. Ron and Hamilton maintained a number of vineyard and wine making contacts; they traded out some Cabernet Sauvignon for this eastern Oakville grown Pinot Noir. It is extremely rare when we discover a Pinot Noir in Napa Valley grown north of Carneros, there are a couple of outlier blocks of this variety planted up valley if you know where to look. This is obviously not a cooler Russian River grown Pinot Noir; the initial aromas are spicy raspberry with a pepper component along with notes of blueberry. As the wine breathes, additional baking spice aromatics come forward. The palate is earthy and features darker denser fruit than we usually find in regional wines from cooler climates of this variety. It is a robust Pinot Noir, showcasing noticeable tannins and a density of fruit, especially on the finish.

Sangiovese
The 2015 Kelham Vineyards Sangiovese, Napa Valley is deep ruby in color; generous and an ‘open book’ on the bouquet, its scents include a union of both primary but softened fruits and tertiary aromatics from its time in bottle. For reference we needled and nosed this bottling 10 years post vintage. This wine smells like dark raspberries, dried cherries, blackberries, Santa Rosa plum, dark licorice, suede, coffee grinds, dark chocolate, toast, dried sage, sweet pipe tobacco and mocha. Minerally, with a vein of red fruits running the length of the palate, this wine tastes like red cherry, red plum, boysenberry, strawberries, dark raspberries and blackberries. The tannins are well tumbled and rounded at this age, and persist with a light dusty textural grip, a persistent earthy character and a tobacco spice. The fruit is still trending towards primary at this age on the palate, and probably will show this way for at least a few more years. Balanced, juicy and bright, this is very much a pizza and pasta friendly wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2012 Kelham Vineyards Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in the glass and completely opaque; ten years after the vintage date at the time of our tasting the bouquet shows plenty of fruit including dark cherry, blackberry and boysenberry jam. There is a noticeable sweetness of the aromatics including notes of black licorice and cassis. As the wine evolves in the glass it offers some additional aromatics including of Graham cracker. This wine smells like a newer release. Shows a mix of berry and cherry fruits across the palate. Finishes juicy and mouthwatering with slightly dusty tannins of medium grip. Also lingers with some darker wood spices and peppercorn. The finish is savory. This bottling had just been released at the time of our tasting.

The 2003 Kelham Vineyards Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon. Upon our first smell and taste of this beauty, the first question we asked is, “are you sure this is an 03′”? Sure, the color has changed to a more brickish red, but the aromas, flavors and structure are indicative of a much younger wine. This wine is certainly a testament to the power of Oakville fruit complemented by their wine making style. The bouquet is fragrant and inviting with notes of cigar smoke, dusty blackberries and an elegant, sweet vanilla note. This is a meaty cab with an inherent juiciness along with flavors of plum, dark cherry and chalky, chewy mouth drying tannins. This wine is perfectly paired with the provided Cambozola cheese (also available at your friendly Sunshine Market in St. Helena).

The 2002 Kelham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Napa Valley shows a much different nose then its “younger brother”. The bouquet offers sweet aromas, blackberry, various baking spices, black licorice and a darker chocolate component. Despite being a year older then the 2003, the fruit seems livelier with great acidity. There is a pleasing mix between red and darker fruit on the palate. This wine is robust with significant tannins anchoring a very long finish. This wine drinks very well now, but still seems young at 14 years since the vintage date!

The 2000 Kelham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Napa Valley is medium to deep garnet in color, showing its age at 25 years post vintage. This wine shows plenty of dark, moody and savory aromatics; these include an animalistic/we animal barnyard character, crushed dark peppercorn, road tar, mushroom, damp potting soil, burnt coffee grinds, bittersweet chocolate, sage, dried bay leaf, Satsuma plum, blackberry preserve and boysenberry. Its aromatics have not fully transitioned to tertiary, but at this age, the non fruited notes far displace its fruit. Still very much bright and balanced, the palate mimics the savory edge expressed on the bouquet. This wine tastes like dark plum, blackberry, boysenberry, dark cherry, dried herbs including sage, smoked cedar, dark pepper, cured meats and tobacco. This bottling finishes bright, lively and still energetic from its lifted acidity. The tannins are rounded spheres, harmoniously integrated into the finish with a light gravelly character. When speaking of Napa Valley wines that age well, for some reason Kelham isn’t often included in that conversation, but they damn well should be. And perhaps that is because relative to the valley’s ‘OG’ wineries, Kelham, despite 35+ years of production, is still considered a relative newcomer.

Merlot
The 2004 Kelham Vineyards Oakville Merlot reveals a wonderful diversity of aromas as the wine breathes, gradually opening to show increasing complexity in the glass. It has held up well over time, offering layered notes of dark chocolate alongside a savory sage and dried herb component, with a distinctive green olive or olive tapenade quality that adds an appealing, slightly briny depth. Subtle hints of cedar and earth emerge with air, further enhancing its aromatic profile. The wine sports flavors of black cherry and black olive, echoing the nose while adding a darker, more brooding fruit character. There is a sense of maturity to the fruit, yet it remains present and integrated. After 12 years, the fruit still shows, but the tannins assert themselves even more prominently—firm, structured, and notably mouth-drying. These tannins linger for some time on the finish, accompanied by a savory persistence that underscores the wine’s age and structure, leaving a lasting impression of both grip and complexity.

Port-style
Kelham has made two port style wines, a white and a red, neither vintage dated.

The White Port (made from Sauvignon Blanc) shows a golden color in the glass. On the bouquet there are sweet notes of honey, spring florals, red apple, banana, and a kiss of vanilla, along with hints of baked pear and citrus blossom that emerge with additional time in the glass. The aromatics are inviting without being overly sweet or heavy. This wine sits on the palate like velvet, offering a remarkable balance between a delicate mouthfeel and a richness of flavor. Flavors of honeyed apple, ripe pear, vanilla, and stone fruit glide across, supported by enough freshness to keep the wine lively and engaging. A slight edge of tannin appears on the finish (we are extremely sensitive to this in dessert wines, but most people will never notice it), adding a subtle textural component. The finish lingers with notes of honey, fruit, and vanilla. This is a delicious lighter-style Port that avoids the excessive ripeness, heaviness, or viscosity often found in similarly produced wines, instead emphasizing balance, elegance, and drinkability.

The Red Port is a 10-year-old tawny-style wine revealing powerful aromatics and an intensity of fruit that carries seamlessly onto the palate. Dark red in the glass, it opens with a sweetness on the bouquet, offering aromas of caramelized sugars, toffee, baking spices including clove, and hints of dried fruit. Ripe plum and dark cherry are particularly expressive, adding richness and depth to the aromatic profile. The palate is generous and full flavored, balancing its sweetness with ample fruit character and a pleasing sense of freshness. Layers of plum, blackberry preserves, caramel, and spice unfold across the palate before leading to a lingering finish marked by a subtle note of white pepper. Both the fruit and alcohol persist for some time, creating a warm and satisfying conclusion. Richly flavored yet well balanced, this is a comforting and approachable Port that delivers both complexity and immediate enjoyment.

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For most of their history, the wine was sold exclusively direct to consumer or through membership in their wine club called, The Vault with shipments during release either 6 or 12 bottles. Since taking over full ownership of Kelham Wines, Ron has taken a more active role in introducing the wines to select retail and restaurants, primarily in California.

For more information, to purchase wine or to join The Vault, visit: www.kelhamwines.com