Vice Versa Wines

Founded by Patrice Breton in 2003 with the mission to craft extremely fine and distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon wines, Vice Versa sources from some of Napa Valley’s most exceptional vineyards and employs draconian practices in both viticulture and winemaking to produce its coveted small lot wines.

Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Patrice Breton benefited from an upbringing saturated with art, science, history, and culture, all of which he loved and recognized in the early bottles he tasted. Patrice fell in love with fine wine at the age of 20. It was the entire experience – the color, texture, complexity, perfume ... and the appreciation of the hard work that went into making these wines. He was captivated and intrigued, which inspired him to plunge into the study of wine. He fondly remembers his first great bottle, a Château Guiraud 1983, which he purchased for $97, one week’s salary back then.

As it went, at 23, Patrice welcomed the arrival of his first child, and attended business school in Montreal, Canada. The early 90's found him working to support his young family and honing his coding and entrepreneurial skills as the World Wide Web began to take off. He went on to start one of the first internet companies in Canada and marveled at the rate with which it grew. In the year 2000, Patrice was fortunate to have the opportunity to take his company public, allowing him to finally pursue his long awaited winemaking dreams.

Patrice and his wife, Samantha, reside in Saint Helena, Napa Valley, where they direct all operations of Vice Versa. They are supported by an exceptional team including;

Philippe Melka – Winemaker

Maayan Koschitzky – Assistant Winemaker

Ashley Leon – Assistant Winemaker

Megan Bainsbridge – Sales & Hospitality

Martin Reyes MW – Brand Ambassador

Betsy Potter – Director of Administration

We believe in allowing the essence of our vineyards to shine through. We strive to craft fine, world-class wines that are distinctive expressions of their regions. Wines that are hedonistic and seductive, but so authentic they speak of their grape varietals, individual vines, soils, climates, and the people who help create them.   

Every decision has significance. Like a sculptor, we start with the most pristine material available, then thoughtfully refine it until the shape of something more beautiful is revealed. We start with some of the most highly acclaimed vineyards in the world. During the growing season we identify the strongest vines to isolate the fruit at harvest. The fruit is picked just as it achieves phenolic maturity while the flavors are ripe but still fresh. From these sorted clusters, only the ideal berries make it to fermentation. We prefer a cool fermentation and long maceration to gently extract the purest fruit and tannin. We separate the free run and press wine to evaluate later. After 22 months of aging, only the best barrels make Vice Versa. The best of the best make BBS. The best of the BBS make Magnificent Seven. This draconian approach to classification is rarely taken as it leaves tiny yields, but we find what remains is the purest expression of a vineyard’s identity and in turn, the wine’s spirit. We consider these wines a work of art that we wish to share with our friends while spreading joy, depth, provenance, and our passion.