Paper Planes 2025 Holiday Vibe Set

The Paper Planes Holiday Vibe Set: A Maximalist Guide to Low-Stress, High-Joy Hosting

The holidays can feel like a whirlwind. Group texts. Gift exchanges. Grocery lists. Somewhere between the casseroles and the candlelight, gathering should feel good. If you’re craving a holiday season that’s more relaxed, more joyful, and more you, we put together a little guide to help set the tone. Think of it as your Paper Planes Holiday Vibe Set: part playlist, part cocktail, part wine lineup, all designed for effortless holiday entertaining.

Whether you're hosting your first family holiday, planning a cozy maximalist holiday tablescape for your friends, or looking for natural wines that actually pair with all the mismatched dishes on the table, this guide has you covered.

1. Start With the Vibe: Your Holiday Hosting Playlist

A great holiday gathering starts with the soundtrack. Music sets the energy before the first guest walks in the door. For me, curating the vibe is half the fun (and half the strategy).

Our Holiday Vibe Playlist blends familiar soundtracks, nostalgic classics, modern indie favorites, soft soul, and warm vinyl textures. It’s built to make your house feel instantly inviting, whether you're decorating cookies, cooking with friends, or sipping something chilled while the world moves a little too fast outside. Just don’t hit shuffle! Listening the playlist in order is key to maximum enjoyment, just trust us.

CLICK HERE TO SAVE THE PLAYLIST!

2. Pour Something Festive: A Family Breakfast Cocktail

Every great gathering starts with a welcome. For our family, a breakfast bevvie is a sure sign that the holidays are here. When else are you going to drink gin at 10am? The Ramos Fizz is a drink that all my parents winemaker friends would drink during the holidays, and I was delighted to finally develop my own recipe after visiting New Orleans for the first time about ten years ago. We sometimes like to call this an “adult milkshake”— but trust us, nothing says Christmas morning like a Ramos Fizz holiday cocktail and a cinnamon roll.

Add the following in order to your blender:

  • 6oz gin

  • 3oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 fresh egg white (I like to keep the yolk for my caesar salad dressing later)

  • 4 tablespoons cane sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 2 tsp orange flower water

Once all those are in blend on high for 30-60 seconds. Leave it mixing as you slowly add 8oz of half-and-half. Adding it sloowwww is key so it doesn’t curdle with the lemon. Keep mixing as you add ~4 cups of ice cubes. You want the blender to be nearly full. Once it looks smooth and delicious, take a quick taste and decide if it needs more sugar, lemon, half and half or ice. Serve in a high ball glass with a cute straw and garnish with orange peel and a dash of nutmeg. Let it be your pre-game moment — an instant signal to unwind, take a breath, and step into the season with ease.

3. Remember to Unwind: The Beauty of Imperfect Hosting

A not-so-secret truth: the best holiday gatherings aren’t the ones where everything is perfect. They’re the ones where people linger, laugh, refill their glasses, and leave your home feeling lighter than when they arrived. So let the table get a little messy. Let the playlist run long. Let the candles drip. Embrace the maximalist holiday aesthetic of more joy, less pressure. Your guests won’t remember whether the napkins matched. They’ll remember how it felt to be there.

4. Prep Your Wines in Advance

One of the easiest ways to take the pressure off holiday entertaining is to choose your wines and menu early. You don’t need twelve bottles lined up with perfect pairings. You just need a thoughtful mix that gives everyone something they’ll love. At Paper Planes, our wines are made to be flexible, food-friendly, and unfussy, ideal for holiday tables where stuffing might sit next to sushi (no judgement) and someone always brings a rogue salad.

5. The Paper Planes Holiday Wine Lineup

A few bottles go a long way. Here’s what we recommend stocking for your holiday gatherings, from book club feasts to New Years Eve bashes:

Rosé

Fresh, bright, and endlessly versatile. Great for appetizers, salty snacks, and anyone who wants something crisp and chilled in their glass.

Pinot Noir

A classic Russian River Pinot that plays well with turkey, mushroom dishes, roasted squash, and cozy winter meals.

Grenache

Light, juicy, and perfect with spiced veggies, holiday ham, and all the “what even is this dish?” moments.

Nero d’Avola

Bold, smooth, and built for hearty flavors. Excellent with braised dishes, rich sauces, and late-night leftovers.

6. Holidays, But Make Them Yours

Your holiday table doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. Not your mom’s, not Pinterest’s, not the maximalist tablescape influencer who owns 42 sets of candlesticks.

All it needs is:

  • people you love (or at least love to feed)

  • good music

  • something fun in the glass

  • and a willingness to let the night unfold naturally

We make wines for exactly these moments. The small ones. The memorable ones. The ones where someone walks into your kitchen, pours a little more rosé, and says something you’ll remember long after the lights come down. Cheers to a softer, simpler season, with more connection, more color, and more joy.

With gratitude,

Laura, Kyle, Noah + Ella

ENDIVE, ORANGE, AND ALMOND SALAD

ENDIVE, ORANGE, AND ALMOND SALAD:

AKA, The Fall Salad We're Making on Repeat .

This past month, my mom and I took a plant-based cooking class at the Culinary Institute in Napa. We made twelve (!!!) different recipes across four teams. One of the standouts of the day was the fall endive, orange and almond salad, which I am certainly going to be making for Thanksgiving this year. See recipe below, and send me a photo if you make it! Bonus points if you can display it as beautifully as they did in class! Pair with our Grenache or Nero d’Avola, and you will be in autumnal heaven.

Fall Endive Orange and Almond Salad

Yield: 18 portions

Ingredients

  • Orange, navel, medium 9 ea.

  • Bread, rustic, artisan 6 ea.

  • Almonds, Marcona, coarsely chopped 1 1⁄2 cup

  • Garlic, clove 6 ea.

  • Anchovy, fillet (Optional) 12 ea.

  • Vinegar, balsamic 3 Tbsp.

  • Lemon, juice, fresh 3 Tbsp.

  • Oil, olive, pure 9 Tbsp.

  • Salt, kosher to taste

  • Pepper, black, ground to taste

  • Cheese, Manchego 9 oz.

  • Endive, large 24 ea.

  • Chive, bunch, cut into 1⁄2-in. lengths 1 1⁄2 ea.

  • Oil, olive, extra virgin 3⁄4 cup

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Zest 1 tablespoon of rind from 1 of the oranges. Juice the orange. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and zest Reserve.

  3. Peel the remaining oranges. Slice them very thinly and cut each slice in half to create half-moons. Refrigerate and reserve.

  4. For the croutons, tear the bread into small, uneven croutons. Spread the croutons in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the preheated oven until golden and crispy. Transfer the croutons to a bowl. Add the almonds and mix to combine. Reserve.

  5. For the dressing, using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic into a paste. Add the anchovies, if using. Pound until they are coarsely broken up.

  6. Add the balsamic and lemon juice. Gradually add the olive oil, pounding and stirring with the pestle. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  7. In a large bowl, place the reserved crouton and almond mixture and the dressing. Toss to combine.

  8. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Manchego into the bowl. Toss lightly.

  9. Peel the leaves from the endives and slice crosswise into halves. Add the endive to the bowl.

  10. Add the chives and reserved orange slices. Drizzle with the reserved orange juice and zest. Add the olive oil. Toss gently.

  11. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cheers!

Paper Planes Spring Playlist

One of my first jobs out of college as an assistant in the Capitol Records Film & TV department was basically making playlists for $14 an hour. AKA, my dream job! I got to dig through the Capitol archives, be the first to hear new releases, and work with our marketing department on seasonal mixes to reintroduce our catalog to music supervisors across the world. In my years working in music, I watched executives debate the art of the sequence, the perfect arc of a playlist, and how “new” a song needs to be to be classified as a new release. A decade later, I’ve lost some of the science in my playlist making, but I can’t help but pull together my favorite songs for every season - whether they are “new” new, new to me, or favorite classics.

Here’s my attempt to more formalize this process! I hope you enjoy our Paper Planes Spring Playlist, let me know in the comments what your favorite song is! And hey, thanks for listening.

— Laura

Tina's Famous Italian Wedding Soup

Kyle’s mom Tina’s Italian Wedding Soup is without question our favorite thing to cook! It’s actually Tina’s mom’s recipe, and Tina cooked it for Kyle his whole childhood. We served it at the rehearsal dinner before our wedding, and cook it 2-3 times a year during cozy season. If you’re friends with us IRL, there’s a good chance we’ve dropped this off at your house after you had a baby or during a particularly rainy spell.

We love to cook the full batch, keep 1/4 of it in the fridge and throw the rest in the freezer for a rainy day. If you are freezing it, be sure to freeze without the pasta, and add the pasta in just before serving, for the perfect cozy meal. Top with a mountain of freshly grated parmesan and pair with our 2023 Nero D’Avola. Instant top chef status!

INGREDIENTS

4 bone in chicken breasts

4-6 carrots

6-8 stalks of celery 

1 medium onion

32oz chicken broth 

2 heads of escarole or kale

Orzo or small pasta

Tiny meatballs - see recipe below

Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef

2 eggs

3 cups Italian breadcrumbs

2 tbs parsley (fresh or dried works)

2 tbs salt

1 tbs pepper

  1. Cook the chicken breasts- put the chicken breasts in a large pot and fill with water just to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the breasts and set aside to cool, but don’t dump the water! You will need this later.

  2. While the chicken cooks, make the meatballs - add all ingredients into a large bowl and mix with hands until fully combined. Roll into tiny balls roughly the size of a quarter (sometimes the smaller the better- you’re going to be rolling a lot of meatballs). Set aside.

  3. Chop the onion, thinly slice the celery and peel and slice the carrots. 

  4. Fill a fresh pot with the chicken stock and add the carrots, celery and onion. Bring to a simmer.

  5. While this is getting to temp, shred the  cooked chicken with a fork and discard the bones (or save to make more stock) 

  6. Add the meatballs to the chicken stock and veggies along with salt and pepper.

  7. Meanwhile, blanch the escarole or kale and then chop.

  8. Add the shredded chicken and greens to the soup. Now sit back for 1-2 hours while it cooks at a low temp, partially covered. Check regularly and add more of chicken stock/cooking liquid as needed. You want it barely simmering, never boiling.

  9. Just before serving, cook the pasta

  10. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with pasta and a mountain of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  11. Pair with our 2023 Nero d’Avola and mangé! 

  12. Store leftovers in the fridge and serve within 3-4 days or freeze for winter-long nourishment 

The River Club: A wine tasting experience like no other in Napa Valley

The River Club: A wine tasting experience like no other in Napa Valley

Originally published in the Napa Valley Register on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024

Imagine this idyllic scene: The Napa River gently rises with the tides as gulls call to each other overhead. Butterflies dance among the reeds as a gentle breeze induces a calm that even the soft hum of traffic traveling over the Imola Bridge cannot disrupt.

The only thing that would make this state of zen more divine would be a glass of wine to savor as autumn sun dips out of view creating a palette of creamy pastels across the sky. A rosé perhaps? Maybe a vibrant red? It doesn’t matter what you're craving because this dreamy scenario can be yours at Napa’s newest tasting room — The River Club.

Downtown Napa is peppered with tasting rooms, but if you are willing to be adventurous and go on a side quest, you will discover a truly unique experience. And it is entirely OK if you are reluctant to go down this road less traveled — the destination is worth it.

The River Club is quietly nestled along the Napa River in the industrial Tannery District on South Coombs Street. You’ve probably driven past it since its August opening and didn't realize it was there.

“When people drive up, they think where am I? What am I doing? But they see the river and then they say ‘what a view!'” says River Club proprietor Alli van Zyl.

Van Zyl’s River Club partner Laura Gabriel agrees. “People don’t quite know what to expect, but when they park and step out and see and hear the river, it puts them at ease. There’s something about the energy of the water. It’s a really special, unique place.”

The River Club’s location isn’t the only thing that sets it apart from the typical Napa wine tasting experience. The wines themselves are unlike anything you’ll find in Napa Valley simply for the fact that none of the wines served at The River Club are made from Napa Valley grapes.

The River Club features wine from van Zyl’s Belong Wine Co., which she runs with her husband Bertus, and Paper Planes Wine Co., managed by Gabriel and her husband Kyle. Belong Wine Co. sources its grapes from El Dorado County while Paper Planes wines are made from grapes from the Russian River Valley.

Off the beaten path

The van Zyls and Gabriels have been friends for years, but they took different paths to becoming winemakers. While the Gabriels launched a crowdfunding campaign to start Paper Planes Wine Co. and relied on direct business to business partnerships, the van Zyls harnessed the power of social media and boutique pop-ups to share their Belong Wines. But after a few years of production, both couples wanted the same thing: a tasting room close to home where they could share their wines and host events.

The Gabriels found the spot along the Napa River, which is walking distance from their home in downtown Napa, and teamed with the van Zyls to share the burden of launching a tasting room in a hyper saturated market. Together, the couples, along with their young children, took on as many DIY projects as feasibly possible to help keep costs low. The River Club has been a labor of love — a true effort of blood, sweat, and tears — but the memories made this year in preparing for the opening have left a big impression on the couples and their young families.

“We looked downtown for a space, but there’s this pressure to be open all the time if you’re downtown,” Alli said. “We wanted to have a space to accommodate work-life balance.”

Unlike most tasting rooms you’ll find in Napa, The River Club is not open daily. It’s closed on Tuesday and Wednesdays, so the couples can have a chance to regroup, reset and get in some quality family time.

It’s a necessity when The River Club is a side project for the couples in addition to their own full time jobs. It’s a juggling act for sure, but the partnership works out so that a representative from each brand is always at The River Club to pour and discuss the wines.

“It’s a small operation,” said Laura. “When you visit, you are guaranteed to meet with one of the winemakers or owners of each brand. You don’t always get that when you go tasting. But since it is just the four of us, we can sit down with guests and share our story. It’s a more intimate experience.”

“And no one knows our wines better than us,” added Alli. “We literally have our hands and feet in these wines. We can tell you everything about the wines and really geek out, or we can keep it light and social.”

Laura said The River Club location might make it challenging to find, but it caters to the wine lovers they’re looking to host.

“Some of the best experiences happen off the beaten path,” she said. “We’re just close enough to downtown, so you can still eat and go shopping, but we like the idea that people would have to come find us. It draws a creative and adventurous clientele.”

Finding The River Club

As the couples searched for a name for their joint venture, The River Club manifested from its proximity to the Napa Valley Yacht Club.

“We really wanted a name tied to the river,” said Laura. “We looked up the river and looked at the yacht club, and thought, we’re kind of our own club — let’s be The River Club.”

The name stuck and The River Club has been welcoming guests for two months.

Alli said The River Club has attracted a mix of tourists and locals in addition to their loyal fans who have already been singing the praises of Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co. and are thrilled to have a place to call their own.

The River Club is very much a second home for the couples, and they used the idea of home as inspiration for the tasting room layout.

“We wanted to create a welcoming space where people could feel at home,” Alli said. “We have a living room area, a dining table. We have a kids corner, which is inspired by our kids. We have toys and books, or the kids can go run outside. We’ve had families come by bike. We’re building community. We’d like this to be a home away from home — not just for us but for our neighbors, too."

Building community is central to the vision of The River Club — so much so that The River Club’s wine club is exclusive to locals. While Belong Wine Co. and Paper Planes Wine Co. have their own wine clubs that offer shipments across the country, The River Club wine club, The River Club — Club, is for pick-up only with the idea that only Napa locals and those within driving distance will be able to participate. The face-to-face connection helps foster the community the couples are trying to build at The River Club.

Join The Club

Even though Belong and Paper Planes source grapes from different regions in California, Alli and Laura have been pleasantly surprised by how well the wines complement each other. Both describe their wines as fresh and vibrant that pair well with food. The wines are great to enjoy immediately or after some aging. Both labels offer a rose, but that’s the only wine they share in common.

Belong has its Sierra Soul Mourvedre and Krusinger Charbono, while Paper Planes has A Russian River Pinot Noir and a Suisun Valley Valdiguie.

Alli said some guests have been surprised that there are no Napa Valley wines at The River Club, but most people are excited to try something new.

Laura said despite having a Napa location, the couples are unlikely to make any Napa vintages in the near future.

“There are so many Napa Valley producers making gorgeous wines,” she said. “We didn’t feel like we had anything to add to that, so we wanted to focus elsewhere. We make wines that we like to drink, and the wines we have are resonating with guests. We’re very excited about the future.”

The River Club is located at 101 S. Coombs St, Unit 8, in Napa. Tastings are available by appointment only Thursday through Monday. Hours are Saturday and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. and Thursday, Friday and Monday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit theriverclubnapa.com.

INTRODUCING THE RIVER CLUB

Friends, 

A decade in the making, we are thrilled to announce the opening of our headquarters and tasting room in the Tannery District along the Napa River, aptly named The River Club, in partnership with our friends at Belong Wine Co.

Opening a tasting room is no easy feat, and we were honored to have our friend Jess Lander from the San Francisco Chronicle tag along and write about the journey. You can read the full article HERE!

As long-time supporters, we can't thank you enough for supporting us on this journey. But, this is just the beginning!! We hope to see you soon at The River Club for a tasting or event. You can make a reservation by clicking here or the link below. 

Flight Club members receive four complimentary tastings twice a year! Want your first tasting on us? Join Flight Club now and we'll take care of the rest. Already a member? Be sure you're logged in to Tock with your club email to receive your complimentary tastings.

The River Club is open by reservation or chance, Thursday through Monday from 10am-3pm beginning on Thursday, August 15th by visiting theriverclubnapa.com

A Paper Planes Autumn Playlist

November is a special time around the Gabriel house. Harvest has wrapped, Italian Wedding soup is on the stove, we celebrate Kyle's birthday, and Home Alone is on repeat. 

It's also the time that we get to curate some holiday gifts for you, our loyal Paper Planes community. This year is extra special, because in addition to some awesome gift sets, we also have a brand new release, our 2022 Valdiguié, previously only available to Flight Club members. With less than 25 cases remaining, we expect this wine to go quick, so snag a few bottles if you want them to last past December. 

Thank you, as always, for supporting our family-run business and building this vibrant community with us. We're now hosting private tastings, so give us a buzz if you are in Napa and want to sit down and taste through our current releases. 

Lastly, if you know us you know that wine and music goes hand in hand. So, we've made a special playlist for you to enjoy this Thanksgiving + beyond. Click HERE to open on Spotify!

Sending our best to you and yours this holiday season! 

Flight School is Named One of NY Times Top Canned Wines

Thank you to Wirecutter for naming our Paper Planes Flight School cans as one of the best canned wines!

The beauty of boxed and canned wine is its convenience. Forget the fuss of storing a bottle or resealing a half-finished one. Leave them all in the cellar. The future is now, and may we all enjoy it with a can of red, white, or rosé.

The pushback against “new” ways to enjoy wine is real, but the arguments seem to be a matter of aesthetics. Cardboard box over glass bottle? A $5 price tag instead of $50? Slurping wine out of—gulp—a plastic bag? Wine doesn’t have to look good to taste good—though many of the can and box designs have a made-for-Instagram feel to them. And as long as you’re not looking for the depth of flavor you’d find in a 50-year-old bottle, the taste of these wines will suit most drinkers.

As Wirecutter staffers bounce around beaches, parks, and BBQs enjoying what’s left of the summer, these are the favorite boxed and canned wines they’re bringing with them.

Paper Planes Flight School Rosé of Pinot Noir ($30 for four cans at the time of publication)

One factor separates the drinkable wines from the excellent in my price range (as close to $20 a bottle, or under, as possible): Can it be traced to a specific farm and varietal? Or is it an anonymous blend of whatever’s left in the tanks? This rosé of pinot noir is the former, and it’s great! As it should be for a $30 bottle (split into four cans). Flight School is perfect with a side of soda and some salted almonds, as a lightweight addition to the beach cooler. I wish more makers would put high-quality wine into cans like this—and that someone would give me a trunkload of this stuff ’cause I can’t pay $30 every time!

You can view the full list here.

The 2020 Paper Planes Rosé is Here!

Friends,

Kyle and I are so excited to announce the release of the 2020 Paper Planes Rosé.

While every vintage holds a special place in our heart, 2020 will always be a particularly memorable year in our minds. We put so much love into this bottle - and it is without a doubt one of our favorite vintages to date.

While 2020 was a challenging year for all of us in many ways, walking through the vineyards was always a welcome reminder that life goes on. As harvest approached for in August, we anticipated a difficult year logistically with new protocols to keep everyone safe. We had one epic day bringing in fruit for our 2020 Paper Planes rosé before the fires broke out in Napa and Sonoma counties and foiled the rest of our harvest plans due to smoke effects. So here we are - one unicorn wine from the only fruit we picked this year - and it is really special. 

The aromatics on this wine are out of this world - freshly zested lemon, peach blossom and white flower. It's simultaneously super tart and fresh while also being really substantial and complex with a long finish. It reminds me of walking into the walk-in fridge at a really nice French cheese shop.

We source our grapes from a single vineyard in the Chalk Hill sub AVA of the Russian River Valley, called the Windsor Oaks Vineyard. This is the sixth year that we've sourced fruit from this special vineyard, and the second year that it has made up 100% of the blend. 

Thank you for supporting our small family business and allowing us to do what we love. 
 

xo Laura, Kyle and Noah

 

LEARN MORE + SHOP

Nice Things That People Have Said About Us

We don’t make wine for the critics, but it still feels good when they have nice things to say about us! Here are a few of the mentions we received on our wines this year!

Paper Planes, 93 Points, Wine Enthusiast

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/paper-planes-2017-rose-of-pinot-noir-russian-river-valley/

Flight School, Editors Pick, Wine Enthusiast

https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/paper-planes-nv-flight-school-rose-of-pinot-noir-sonoma-coast/ 

Flight School, Top Canned Wines of the Year, Wine Spectator

https://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/24-Top-Rated-Box-Can-Wine-Score-Reviews 

Round Up of Where to Find Us: Spring 2018 Edition

Here's a quick roundup of all our friends who are carrying Paper Planes as of Spring of 2018.

Northern California

  • Acme Wines (St. Helena)
  • Angele (Napa)
  • Bay Grape (Oakland)
  • Big Bottom Market (Guerneville/Sonoma)
  • Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa)
  • CIA at Copia (Napa)
  • Castro Village Wine Co. (San Francisco)
  • Mustard's Grill (Yountville/Napa)
  • R+D Kitchen (Yountville/Napa)
  • Robin (San Francisco)
  • Sonoma's Best Wine Merchant (Sonoma)
  • St. Helena Wine Center (St. Helena)
  • V Wine Cellar (Yountville/Napa)

Southern California

  • Bar & Garden (Culver City)
  • Bar Covell (Los Feliz)
  • Black Cat (Silver Lake)
  • Ester's Wine Shop (Santa Monica)
  • Everson Royce (Pasadena)
  • Highland Park Wine (Highland Park)
  • Jayde's Market (Beverly Hills)
  • Rustic Canyon (Santa Monica)
  • Silverlake Wine (Silver Lake)
  • Soho House West Hollywood (Los Angeles)
  • Wally's Wine (Beverly Hills) 

If none of these fine restaurants or retailers are in your hood, you can always order online. 

Shop Online

What Are You Doing Next Month?

Have you gotten your tickets to our December Movie Club yet? This month we’re playing the ultimate Christmas classic - It’s A Wonderful Life. Screenings are 21+ and include a glass of wine, popcorn, movie candy, tissue if needed, and an
This morning, to our surprise, we were greeted by a personalized mailbox for Santa letters when we arrived at The River Club door. We were told that Santa has heard that many good boys and girls visit us here and so it would be a great place to colle
Got loved ones visiting for the holiday? Treat them to a River Club moment 🦦 We’ve got the wine and we pour generously. Open by appointment or chance Saturday 11/29, Sunday 11/30, and Monday 12/01 | Closed Thanksgiving and Black Friday |
Step into a mid-century holiday dream at The River Club - a festive 21+ evening of nostalgia and retro charm along the Napa River. Join us in celebrating the season with great wine, light bites, secret cocktails, and the best company dressed to the n

We have some killer events coming up and we'd love for you to join us!

 

Paper Planes x Martha Oakes Event
Wednesday March 21st 6-8pm
Batch / 1648 Pacific Avenue, San Francisco
Come hang out with Kyle and sip Paper Planes at one of San Francisco's coolest new shops located in an old firehouse as they unveil a new art collection by Sonoma based artist Martha Oakes. This event is complementary, but please RSVP here to secure your spot.

Bay Grape Tasting
Tuesday April 3rd from 6-9pm
Bay Grape / 376 Grand Ave, Oakland
Kyle and Laura are pouring at the awesome Bay Grape wine shop in Oakland. Come on by to hang out and taste three killer wines for $15. Tickets at the door, no need to RSVP.

Mr. Pink Party
Saturday April 14th 1:30-4:30pm
Compline / 1300 1st St #312, Napa
Spend your afternoon listening to sounds by DJ Vitamix at this all you can drink pink party with us and several other amazing producers including Scribe, Scholium Project, and Lorenza. That's right, unlimited wine for just $35! Purchase your tickets here.

Wall's Wine All Stars of Napa and Sonoma Tasting
Sunday April 15th 2-5pm
The Olympic Collection / 11301 W. Olympic Blvd., 3rd Floor, Los Angeles
This tasting is going to be LEGENDARY! Join Kyle and many other incredible winemakers curated by Wally's Wine Shop for an afternoon of Napa and Sonoma all stars. Taste wines by the likes of Crocker and Starr, Raen, Mayacamas, Paul Hobbs, Senses, Dominus, Frog's Leap, THE LIST GOES ON. Tickets are just $75 to taste from over 50 producers. Get your tickets here.

Flight School Pop Up at the Pine
Tuesday April 17th 5-7:30pm
The Pine / 410 Petaluma Blvd S Suite B, Petaluma
Slay tax day with a special  Flight School popup at Petaluma's coolest salon. Snack on cheesy bites and drink Flight School to celebrate your taxes being done. Hooray! This event is complementary, but please reply to this email to secure your spot. 

Boss Ladies Magazine Release Party
Thursday May 3rd from 7-9pm
Heath Ceramics Factory / San Francisco
We're celebrating the launch of the latest issue of Boss Ladies Magazine at what is sure to be an incredible event in San Francisco. Come sip Paper Planes, meet some awesome people and listen to the founders of Heath Ceramics and Cuyana talk about business and life. Tickets are complimentary, but please reply to this email to grab a spot before it's sold out!

All of these events are either complimentary or discounted to our Flight Club members. Join us today for special pricing on these events + many more to come!

JOIN NOW

2017 VINTAGE NOW AVAILABLE + FLIGHT CLUB

Hey, it's been awhile! 2017 was a doozy but we're more proud of this vintage than ever before. We can't wait for you to try it. 

This vintage is fresh, crisp, lively, and overall awesome. Perfect minerality is balanced by tart citrus, great texture, and mouth-watering acidity.

Vintage   2017
Production   487 Cases
Varietal   100% Pinot Noir
Appellation   Russian River Valley, Sonoma 

SHOP NOW

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Announcing Our First Ever Wine Club 

We're thrilled to announce the creation of our first wine club. Join today and receive two shipments per year (choose either 6 or 12 bottles per shipment). You'll never be without Paper Planes again. Click through for all the details. ⚡️

JOIN FLIGHT CLUB

 10% off every order
Shipping included on club orders
Super secret access to pre-release wines
+ lots of other awesome things 

Where to Find Us - So Far in 2016

Here are the fine establishments where you can find Paper Planes so far this year in California.
*denotes where you can find us by the glass!

Restaurants:

Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa, CA)
The Black Cat* (Los Angeles, CA)
Bouchon Bistro* (Yountville, CA)
Cadet Beer and Wine Bar (Napa, CA)
Ninebark (Napa, CA)

Wine Shops/Tasting Rooms: 

Acme Fine Wines (St. Helena, CA)
Bar and Garden (Culver City, CA)
K. Laz Collection* (Yountville, CA)
St. Helena Wine Center (St. Helena, CA)
Silverlake Wine (Los Angeles, CA) 
V Wine Cellar* (Yountville, CA)

Cheers!
- Laura + Kyle

 

A Look Back on 2015

As I sit and write this at Oxbow in downtown Napa, I am overwhelmed by the year we've had and the support we've received from family, friends and strangers. Nothing would have been possible without so much help along the way. One year ago, we were punching out thousands of tiny triangles in every label for our first vintage, and the day after Christmas we (along with 12 hardworking friends) hand applied the labels to all 2,160 bottles. From the first bottle we sold in February (I think I was shaking from excitement) to the last in May (still shaking), I've been humbled by the amazing people we've been able to work with. We've formed relationships with every person we've sold to, and it has made Paper Planes more than just a wine, but a living thing that feels like it's really doing what we set out for it to do - encourage spirited relationships and create memories that inspire. 

We learned a lot last year, and today, all 362 cases of our second vintage of Paper Planes are bottled, labeled (no punching out triangles or hand labeling required!) and ready to make their debut to the world. I'm inspired by the people we've met along the way. I miss our dear friends in Los Angeles but am so lucky to have the family and friends we have in Napa, and I am proud to be a part of the Napa Community of winemakers and business owners. As I look back on the year full of change that we've had, I want to thank everyone who has touched Paper Planes and our lives. We can't wait to see what 2016 has in store. 

Harvesting

After bouncing back and forth between Northern and Southern California, Kyle and I made the decision earlier this year to dive into the wine industry head first and move back up to Napa. It's been an amazing summer getting reacquainted with our buzzing little town, and we are now officially in full harvest mode with our eyes on the prize! 

While we live in Napa, Paper Planes comes from just over the hill in the Russian River Valley, where our grapes and facility are based. This harvest has been a fast and furious one, triggered by a crazy heat wave earlier this month that pushed all our grapes into perfect picking conditions practically at the same time. While that made for a hectic couple of weeks, this year is already looking to be another great one, with beautiful color and flavor concentrated into lower crop yields. Paper Planes 2015 vintage will be available early next year!

Can't wait? Neither can we! Sign up for our mailing list [here] to be the first to hear about our pre-order going live in September.