The Setting Wines - A Most Meaningful Endeavor
Meet the brand behind the world’s most expensive wine: The Setting Wines. After breaking records for the most expensive bottle of wine sold at auction in 2017, The Setting Wines did it again with the recent record-breaking sale of a 6-liter bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, which sold for $1 million at Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s 2021 Carnivale du Vin event wine auction. Producing the most expensive bottle of wine may be a huge feat, but to the team behind The Setting Wines, it’s not about the price tag; knowing how many lives will be changed for the better by this single bottle is a significant reminder of why The Setting Wines was established: to make an impact, regardless of how big or small.
The Setting Wines was founded in 2014 by three friends: Jeff Cova, Noah McMahon, and winemaker Jesse Katz. Driven by their philanthropic backgrounds and passions for food and wine, Jeff and Noah partnered with Jesse to establish The Setting Wines as a brand focused on inspiring the betterment of others in meaningful ways, whether that be through charity or simply enhancing a moment with friends.
The Setting’s collection of luxury wines are made by renowned winemaker Jesse Katz. Named a 40 Under 40 Tastemaker by Wine Enthusiast and the first winemaker to be honored in Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Jesse has established a reputation for pairing unique, meticulously farmed sites with diversified winemaking techniques to extract the deepest expression of each vineyard. For The Setting’s Bordeaux varietal wines, Jesse sources fruit from some of the most prestigious vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys, such as the exclusive Glass Slipper Vineyard in Napa’s Coombsville AVA—the source of the $1 million bottling. Working with superb fruit from these expertly farmed sites, Jesse applies his artisanal, minimally invasive winemaking approach, utilizing extended barrel time in new and neutral oak, to produce unfined, unfiltered wines that delicately balance purity of fruit with the distinct characters of each site.
The Setting’s limited production wines may command high price tags at charity auctions, but the goal was never for these acclaimed wines to be accessible only to millionaires; rather, these are sophisticated yet unassuming wines created to bring people together to experience joy in simple, everyday occasions and revel in the joy that sharing a bottle with others can bring. Wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike can get their hands on The Setting Wines by joining The Setting Society, an exclusive membership that offers guaranteed access to new releases, as well as a variety of special perks.
Regardless of where or with whom one enjoys a bottle of The Setting Wines, it’s all about finding pleasure in whatever “setting” you’re in.