Flint Knoll is named after the famed rolling Flint Hills of Kansas, my home state. Meredith and I are both proud Midwesterner’s who journeyed to Napa independently. Coincidentally, we both shared a passion and love of fine wines and a childhood dream of living in the beautiful state of California. Meredith moved to Napa to pursue her career in medical sales and I came here to be the Director of Sales and Marketing at a prestigious winery. We were blessed to meet the old-fashioned way when I hosted Meredith and her friends for a wine tasting. You can say the rest is history – we went on our first date two days later and shortly thereafter, the concept of Flint Knoll emerged.
We craft world-class Cabernet Sauvignon wines to be enjoyed with family and friends. We have a world-renowned winemaking team with Philippe Melka at the helm, who brings over 30 years of winemaking experience from wineries in Bordeaux, France and Napa Valley, California. We specialize in limited production, single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon wines and source fruit from some of the most coveted vineyards in Napa Valley. Flint Knoll is an ode to Kansas and the Midwest. It’s about FAITH – we wouldn’t be where we are today without our faith and hope in Jesus Christ. HARD WORK – we strive to craft the most exquisite wines from the most sought after Napa Valley vineyards. And FRIENDSHIP – our customers become our friends and family and drive our passion to craft classical wines from this incredible region we are so fortunate to call home.
1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
Aaron is at the core of Flint Knoll’s concept and fell in love with wine while working at Cigar Chateau at age 18 in Wichita, Kansas. At age 24 he began a local wine tasting group called The Young Vines focusing on wine education. At age 28 he moved to Kansas City and worked in wine distribution as well as in the restaurant business. In 2013, Aaron took his passion for wine to the next level and made his journey out to Napa Valley to work in sales, marketing, and product development with boutique wineries and vineyards. In 2016, after years in the making, Aaron’s dream became a reality and we harvested the first vintage of Flint Knoll.
Born and raised in Naperville, Illinois, Meredith’s original encounter with great wine was a 1996 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, shared by her father. With a background in Molecular Biology, she naturally connected with the science of the craft and began her own fervent journey in the world of wine. She loves to show up at early morning picks during harvest, has helped us blend every vintage of Flint Knoll and enjoys sharing our wines with our Flint Knoll friends at dinner events across the country.
Like the celebrated wines on which he’s built his reputation, Philippe Melka’s career has been influenced by soil. A native of Bordeaux, Melka grew up intrigued by the intricacies of the land around him. He earned a degree in Geology at the University of Bordeaux and a Master’s degree in Agronomy and Enology.
Melka’s first job out of school was at Château Haut Brion. From there, he took a position with the reputable Moueix Company and was sent to Dominus Estate in Yountville to study soils in 1991. Napa Valley soil proved to be a revelation for Melka. He began dividing time between soil study and winemaking at world renowned wineries Badio O Coltibuono in Chianti and Chittering Estate in Australia. He returned to France in 1993 to deepen his expertise at Chateau Petrus.
Melka has been trained and influenced by some of the most notable personalities in the wine business such as Jean Delmas and Jean Philippe Masclef from Haut-Brion, Christian Moueix and Jean Claude Berrouet from Petrus, Paul Draper from Ridge, Daniel Baron from Silver Oak and the globetrotting wine consultant Michel Rolland with whom he continues to work with on consulting projects.
In 1994, Melka returned to Napa full time and has served as winemaker for some of Napa’s most highly regarded brands.
Maayan Koschitzky has amassed an impressive winemaking resume spanning from the vineyards of Israel to Screaming Eagle and Dalla Valle here in the Napa Valley, working alongside some of the top winemakers and among the most coveted terroirs in the world. In 2014 Maayan joined Atelier Melka and he brings a dynamic array of talents to the Melka team. With a background in Engineering and years of experience in both wineries and vineyards, Maayan plays a multifaceted role at Flint Knoll in both winemaking and operations.
