Monday, October 31, 2016

10/31 KAREN MACNEIL, HALLOWEEN CANDY/WINE PAIRINGS, MIKE SINOR, ANCIENT PEAKS WINERY, SINOR LAVALLEE

CONSULTANT & AUTHOR KAREN MACNEIL – HALLOWEEN CANDY/WINE PAIRINGS 

HERE ARE SOME OF HER PAIRING TIPS
Candy Corn + Moscato
Moscato and candy corn are a fantasmagorica of sweetness. Think candyland on steroids. The sugar in the candy corn amps up the fruitiness in the Moscato. Both taste better as a result.
Almond Joy + Madeira
The rich, caramelized, brown sugar nuttiness of Madeira is just waiting for coconut to come into its life. Both the Almond Joy and the wine have a certain weight and gravitas and they need each other the way Humphrey Bogart needed Lauren Bacall.
M&MS + Port
The dark, sweet, black fig and dried fruit character of Port is a great counterpoint to the milk chocolate in M&Ms. The hard crunch of the candy shell is perfect with the soft pillow of lavishly textured Port.

ABOUT KAREN MACNEIL
Karen MacNeil is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English language.

These include the Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year (James Beard Foundation) and the Global Wine Communicator of the Year (International Wine and Spirits Association).  In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen “America’s Missionary of the Vine.”

But deep global wine knowledge is only part of the story. Karen is considered America’s foremost wine presenter–a speaker who can enchant audiences from 5 to 500, and from wine novices to wine collectors alike. Her customized TED-like talks are accompanied by extraordinary wines which she personally selects for the event.

Karen is also the author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE, the single best- selling wine book in the United States, praised as “The most informative and entertaining book I’ve ever seen on the subject” (Danny Meyer), “Astounding” (Thomas Keller), and “A masterpiece of wine writing…the single best wine book written in years…” (Kevin Zraly).

The former wine correspondent for the Today Show, Karen was the host of the PBS series Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil, for which she won an Emmy. Her articles on wine and food have been published in more than 50 newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Town & Country, Elle, and Worth. She was the first Food and Wine Editor of USA Today when that publication began. Karen currently hosts #SipWithKaren, the leading Twitter tasting in the global wine sphere, which each month reaches 20+ million timelines from Indiana to India.

Karen’s firm, Karen MacNeil & Company, creates customized corporate events and wine tours around the world for companies and individual groups. Among Karen’s corporate clients are Lexus, Merrill Lynch, Disney, General Electric, UBS, and Singapore Airlines, as well as numerous law and biotech firms.

Karen is the creator and Chairman Emeritus of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley, which has been called “the Harvard of wine education.”

THE WINE BIBLE
$24.95–$39.95
The best-selling wine book in the U.S., THE WINE BIBLE is used and recommended by every top wine school, every hospitality management school, every wine diploma program, and the Court of Master Sommeliers in the U.S.

Like a lively course from an expert teacher, THE WINE BIBLE grounds the reader deeply in the fundamentals while layering on informative asides, tips, amusing anecdotes, definitions, glossaries, photos, maps, labels, and recommended bottles. Information in THE WINE BIBLE comes directly from Karen’s extensive primary research. She has visited every major wine region in the world and, for this second edition alone, tasted more than 10,000 wines.

WWW.SINORLAVALLEE.COM
WWW.KARENMACNEIL.COM


MIKE SINOR - DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKING, ANCIENT PEAKS WINERY & WINEMAKER/PROPRIETOR, SINOR LAVALLEE

ABOUT MIKE SINOR
Mike Sinor is recognized as one of the Central Coast's highest-rated winemakers. Wines made by Mike have scored 96 points in the WineSpectator™, 95 points in Connoiseur's Guide™, 92 points in Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate™ and 95 points in Wine Enthusiast™. In 2012 Mike was voted as Winemaker of the Year for San Luis Obispo County.  The word that best describes Mike is "Fanatical." He is a self-made winemaker with no formal winemaking education who worked his way up from "cellar rat" through grit, determination and sheer love of wine.

Raised in Visalia, CA, Mike attended California Polythechnic State University at San Luis Obispo with the objective of becoming a high school shop teacher. He financed his college education by working at several local wineries -- an experience that ignited his passion for the craft of making wine. Mike met his future wife, Cheri LaVallee, in a chemistry class at CalPoly (now that's Chemistry 101).

Mike has traveled to France on numerous occasions, delving into the winemaking experiences of Burgunday, Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley. He also took a winemaking sabbatical to Australia's Margaret River in 2001. These travels are integral to his winemaking fabric and outlook.

ABOUT ANCIENT PEAKS WINERY
Ancient Peaks Winery represents the shared vision of three longtime local winegrowing and ranching families—the Filipponis, Rossis and Wittstroms. Two generations are actively involved in the winery’s daily operations, all dedicated to producing extraordinary wines from Margarita Vineyard.
Karl Wittstrom Owner
Doug Filipponi Owner
Rob Rossi Owner

ORIGINS OF ANCIENT PEAKS 
Rob Rossi acquired Santa Margarita Ranch in 1999. His friends Doug Filipponi and Karl Wittstrom soon joined him as partners in the ownership of the ranch, which they had all regarded as a special property for many years. That same year, the Robert Mondavi family planted Margarita Vineyard on the ranch under a lease agreement (click here for more background on the Mondavi connection).

In 2005, the three families acquired ownership and control of Margarita Vineyard. The obvious potential of the vineyard ultimately inspired the three families to become vintners as well as winegrowers. They knew that they could cherry-pick their favorite blocks and make distinctive wines with a strong sense of place.    The name Ancient Peaks was chosen to honor the towering Santa Lucia Mountains that border Margarita Vineyard. These peaks define the land’s complex geology and regulate the vineyard’s climate, ultimately shaping the character of the wines.

ABOUT SINOR LAVALLEE
Mike Sinor has always been a grinder, a way of life he learned at a young age while working in his father’s auto wrecking yard. He brought that mentality to his first wine harvest in 1993 and never looked back. Through grit and determination, and without formal training, he ultimately became one of the Central Coast’s most decorated winemakers.

Mike married Cheri LaVallee in 1996 in Burgundy, soon after the started their own label. In 2013, Mike and Cheri put everything on the line to acquire the ocean-view Bassi Vineyard near Avila Beach. It was the destination they’d always been seeking—a singular vineyard that they could steward with holistic and meticulous viticulture.

The estate wines of Sinor-LaVallee are the outcome of this journey, and an emblem of this place.

WWW.ANCIENTPEAKS.COM
WWW.SINORLAVALLEE.COM

Monday, October 24, 2016

10/24 WES HAGEN, J. WILKES WINES, IAN BLACKBURN, WINE LA & FOUNDER, BEEKEEPER CELLARS, ITALIAN WINE STARS

WES HAGEN - WINEMAKER, BRAND AMBASSADOR, J. WILKES WINES

A STORY AS BIG AS THE WEST

JEFF(ERSON) WILKES WAS A WINEGROWER AND WINE GRAPE SALESMAN AT BIEN NACIDO AND SOLOMON HILLS VINEYARDS IN THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY AS WELL AS FRENCH CAMP VINEYARD IN THE PASO ROBLES HIGHLANDS FOR TWENTY YEARS (1981-2001).

Jeff’s tireless promotion and demand for quality anchored the Bien Nacido Vineyard, Solomon Hills and the Santa Maria Valley as the heart and soul of Santa Barbara County winegrowing, providing grapes to some of the greatest winemakers in California. Jeff launched his ‘J.Wilkes’ label in 2001, focusing on Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, and made his last wine in 2010 before his untimely passing late in that same year. Soon after, the label was relaunched as a tribute to Jeff’s unwavering love of the Santa Maria Valley, his commitment to value and quality, and later as a vehicle for blending AVA wines that show the best of the Central Coast and our diversity of meso-climates..

Jeff’s love of the Old West and sailing the Pacific Ocean continue to guide our winemaking team. The freedom that the West and the Pacific represent are in every sip of J.Wilkes, as is the pursuit of discovery that drives humans to search for new experiences and better lives. A bottle of J.Wilkes is an investment to keep your friends and family at the table for an extra hour. We believe the combination of food, love and wine is one of the most important rituals left in this country and is the cure for spending too much time with technology..

ABOUT WES HAGEN:
WES HAGEN IS THE WINEMAKER AND BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR J. WILKES WINES IN THE SANTA MARIA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA. IN 2013, MICHAEL CERVIN (WALL STREET JOURNAL, DECANTER) RATED WES AS ONE OF THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL WINEMAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES (#68).

Wes worked as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker at  Clos Pepe Vineyards and Estate Wines in the Sta. Rita Hills for 21 years and is considered an industry leader in Santa Barbara Wine, having served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors for both Santa Barbara County Vintners and Santa Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance.

Wes is an accomplished wine writer, researcher and lecturer; He has written for the L.A Times Magazine, Sommelier Journal, Burgundy Report and has appeared and been featured / quoted numerous times in the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast. Wes researched, wrote and had approved the last three AVA’s in Santa Barbara County: Sta. Rita Hills, Happy Canyon and Ballard Canyon.

Wes taught the Food and Wine Pairing program at Allan Hancock College for four years and has lectured on the History of Wine and Santa Barbara Wine at Cornell University, Caltech and many, many other prestigious institutions. His most recent achievement is having been nominated for a TED-talk on the History of Wine.

Wes has an active and impressive social media following on Facebook (Wes Hagen), Twitter, Instagram and Delectable (@weshagen).

“Every wine deserves an hour at table, delicious food and two people in love.  Wine cannot be fully understood unless all three of these conditions are met.""  --WD Hagen

JWILKES.COM


IAN BLACKBURN – OWNER/FOUNDER, WINE LA & FOUNDER/CO-WINEMAKER, BEEKEEPER CELLARS – TALKS UPCOMING EVENTS (ITALIAN WINE STARS-OCTOBER 26)

ABOUT IAN BLACKBURN, CSW, JWE - LEARNABOUTWINE & WINELA PROFESSIONAL SOMMELIER 

Ian drinks wine for a living and plans 50-100 public and private events a year. Ian stays busy buying collectible wines for high profile clients, planning luxury wine  trips  for  his  audience,  hosting  corporate  events,  and  studying  for  his  Master of Wine. Since  1995,  LearnAboutWine  has  done  the  hard  work  of  building  a  better  culture for fine wine, opening the doors for more quality products to enter the  marketplace  and  has  taught  over  800,000  students.    With  a  reach  of  over 80,000  current  subscribers  and  followers,  LearnAboutWine  now  focuses  on  the  best  quality  events and classes, and wine credential programs which have graduated over 1000 wine students in the last 9 years with a Junior Wine Executive credential (JWE).

ABOUT BEEKEEPER CELLARS
Beekeeper Cellars is the vision of best friends and co-winemakers Ian Blackburn and Clay Mauritson. The two collaborated after adventurous individual careers in the wine business, and at last, decided to work together on a project of their own.

Clay, a 7th generation grape grower, and his family found themselves the owners of a significant slice of the Rockpile Appellation, through an amazing set of historical land transactions. The Mauritson family realized the potential and parented the creation of the ROCKPILE AVA. In 1998, Ian and Clay climbed the hill and watched the Madrone Spring Vineyard get planted, while discussing the future of Rockpile and the dream it represented.

In 2008, Clay saw the fruits of his family's labor taking shape and came to Ian with a unique opportunity to source some of the Rockpile fruit. He told Ian in the difficult days of 2008, “now is the time to get in and build the business and have it take shape as the market improves, and to not wait until business is strong as you will have a hard time getting access to the right quality assets.” Ian took heed of Clay’s wise comment and said "When your best friend is Clay Mauritson and he offers Rockpile fruit and to assist with winemaking…... you make Zinfandel.”

In Los Angeles, Ian operates a specialty wine marketing organization known as wineLA and has pioneered wine education for the past 20 years (since 1995) through www.learnaboutwine.com and www.wineLA.com.  Beekeeper Cellars is also involved in Ian’s Masters of Wine Thesis project and provides him the winemaking training he requires to help pass the difficult Masters of Wine exam...an ongoing pursuit.

ITALIAN WINE STARS WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 26, 2016

LA’s LARGEST GATHERING of ULTRA PREMIUM ITALIAN WINES 

10% of all proceeds from wine purchases at this event will benefit  TJ MARTELL FOUNDATION supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

VIP Admission
6:00PM - 9:00PM

Gold Admission
7:00PM - 9:00PM

PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS
9882 S Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

WWW.WINELA.COM
WWW.BEEKEEPERCELLARS.COM

Monday, October 17, 2016

10/17 GARY EBERLE, EBERLE WINERY, HEATHER MURAN, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION, HARVEST ON THE COAST

GARY EBERLE – ENOLOGIST/GENERAL PARTNER, EBERLE WINERY

THE PASO ROBLES PIONEER GARY EBERLE

Gary Eberle grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and went to Penn State on a football scholarship. After graduating with a Bachelor's of Science in biology, he attended Louisiana State University (LSU) where he continued his graduate work studying cellular genetics. While attending LSU, Gary developed an appreciation for wine and changed his academic path to become a winemaker. He traveled west to California to study enology at U.C. Davis where he received a degree in Enology in 1971 and then headed south to Paso Robles in 1973.

Gary launched his career as a winemaker and as the “Pioneer” of Paso Robles Wine Region by helping to establish his family's Estrella River Winery & Vineyards. In the late 70’s, he decided to pursue his own project and acquired nearly 64 acres just down the road from Estrella River Winery. Shortly thereafter, Gary released his first Eberle wine, the 1979 Cabernet Sauvignon debuting the iconic boar logo, depicting the German origin of the name Eberle, meaning “small boar.”

THE WINERY
By 1984 the Eberle Winery production facility and tasting room were open for business and in 1994 Gary expanded underground, building the first wine caves in Paso Robles. Now, over 30 years later, Gary Eberle still greets guests daily with complimentary wine tastings, public tours of the production facility and 16,000 square feet of underground caves. They also play host to a variety of delicious and entertaining events held at the winery throughout the year.

THE WINEMAKER, CHRIS EBERLE
Chris returns to Eberle Winery after extensive winemaking experiences which spans six countries and fifteen vintages. He worked at Eberle Winery as the Assistant Winemaker for over three years from 2006 to 2009, and continued to expand his field of knowledge by working in many great wine regions around the world. From South Africa to Germany, then New Zealand, Australia, and France, Chris is ready and excited to bring what he has learned back to Paso Robles. "From the vineyards to the caves to Gary & Marcy and the crew, this is like coming home. I always knew I'd be back."

His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business; focus on Marketing and a minor in Viticulture from Cal Poly. He also completed a diploma in enology from Washington State University.

WWW.EBERLEWINERY.COM


HEATHER MURAN - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN LUIS OBISPO WINE COUNTRY ASSOCIATION - HARVEST ON THE COAST (NOV. 4-6)

ABOUT SLO WINE COUNTRY:
The wineries of SLO Wine Country boast an average distance of just five miles from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in prevailing marine conditions that are among the most pronounced of any wine region in California.

SLO Wine Country includes two small adjoining American Viticultural Areas—the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley—and other nearby winegrowing areas.  Each of these areas shares a unifying proximity to the ocean, as well as to each other. Collectively, these growing conditions forge a unifying wine quality that is native to SLO Wine Country:

Cool
The reliable cooling effect of the nearby Pacific Ocean ensures a long growing season, enabling the grapes to achieve physiological ripeness and natural balance. Cool-climate varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel in the heart of SLO Wine Country, and even the warmest areas benefit from considerable marine influence.

Consistent
The ocean proximity also exerts a moderating effect on the climate, minimizing temperature swings so that growing conditions are rarely hot or cold. The result is an extraordinarily steady growing season that fosters balanced ripening and consistent quality from vintage to vintage.

Complex
The imprint of the ocean is also evident in SLO Wine Country's uncommonly complex soils, which are frequently riddled with ancient sea fossils. Soil variation enables the winegrower to mix and match varietals to specific soil profiles, or to add more "colors" to the palette of a single varietal, heightening overall quality and complexity.

HARVEST ON THE COAST NOV 4-6
Sun, surf, sand and WINE!...Go Coastal and celebrate the harvest with our vintners!

CRAFTED ON THE COAST WINEMAKER DINNER FRIDAY, NOV 4TH
6pm-9pm Ocean Grill Restaurant
268 Front Street in Avila Beach
Tickets: $120 per person

GRAND TASTING AND WINE AUCTION SATURDAY, NOV 5th
Avila Beach Resort | 6464 Ana Bay Rd. Avila Beach, CA 93424
EARLY ENTRY: 11AM, $110
GENERAL ADMISSION 12PM, $80 | AUCTION: 2PM
VIP AUCTION TABLE FOR 8 GUESTS: $900
All tickets include food & wine tasting & free commemorative wineglass

SLOWINE.COM

Monday, October 3, 2016

10/03 ADAM FRANSCIONI, ROAR WINES IN SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS, KATHLEEN HEITZ MYERS, HEITZ WINE CELLARS

ADAM FRANSCIONI – MANAGER, ROAR WINES IN SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS

ROAR Wines is the realization of our family’s more than 100-year love affair with the Santa Lucia Highlands. It’s a relationship rooted in three generations of farming and nurtured today in a small portfolio of premium Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier.

Recognizing the region’s potential for premium wine grapes, we planted our first vineyard in 1996 and named it for Rosella. In 1997 we planted the Garys’ Vineyard in partnership with our good friends and fellow grape growers, the Pisoni family. Since then we’ve planted two more vineyards; our “high-altitude” Sierra Mar Vineyard located at 1000ft above the valley floor and the Soberanes Vineyard a second partnership with the Pisoni family, located on one of the area’s oldest land grants.

In 2001, after years spent developing the pedigree of our vineyards with top-tier wineries, we launched ROAR Wines to showcase the signature flavors of our vineyards and Santa Lucia Highands in a small portfolio of single vineyard and appellated bottlings. The name ROAR is inspired by our family’s passion for work and play; paying homage to the Monterey Bay winds that roar through our vineyards and the thunderous roar of a stadium full of sports fans.

WINEMAKING
ROAR WINES produces limited production Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier from grapes grown at the Rosella’s, Garys’, Sierra Mar, Soberanes and Pisoni vineyards in Monterey’s famed Santa Lucia Highlands.

Gary and Adam, together with winemaker Scott Shapley make the ROAR wines at our new San Francisco winery, one of the few “urban wineries” in the city.

Each wine is made barrel by barrel with minimal handling and maximum attention. The winery is completely gravity flow; the wines are not inoculated for malolactic (allowing natural ml to take place) racking is limited to the barest minimum and only at bottling.

Hand-sorting and punch downs are standard. Critical timing of fermentation for maximum extraction and balanced tannins is followed by extended rest – up to 16 months – in the finest French barrels.

WWW.ROARWINES.COM


KATHLEEN HEITZ MYERS – PRESIDENT & CEO, HEITZ WINE CELLARS

Founded in 1961, Heitz Wine Cellars is a true Napa Valley legacy: a multi-generation, successful family business that has held true to its founder’s vision for decades and continues to stand proudly in the world’s spotlight. Pioneering vintner Joe Heitz and his wife Alice shared an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit that helped usher in Napa’s modern era with his iconic, globally-celebrated wines—including Napa Valley’s first vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignon, the legendary Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard—and the vision that Napa Valley wines could achieve international recognition. Today, the Heitz family is steadfastly upholding the principles and unwavering commitment to quality that built a wine portfolio of enduring excellence, while thoughtfully modernizing and diversifying the business. With hands-on management of the winery and organically farmed vineyards, the Heitz family continues to offer quintessential wines, made with 100% Napa Valley fruit, that celebrate their agrarian roots and commitment to the stewardship of Napa Valley, a place they call home.

Early days 
In many ways, the history of Heitz parallels the history of Napa Valley as it evolved from walnut and prune orchards into an exceptional wine destination. When Joe and Alice Heitz founded Heitz Wine Cellars, fewer than a dozen wineries called Napa Valley home. It was 1961 and the Napa Valley was, in Joe’s words, “asleep.” At the time, the belief that Napa Valley could become a globally recognized wine region had yet to take root, and creating a winery in the area was still considered a risk.

But Joe and Alice agreed that this was their shared dream. In fact, Joe had decided back in the 1940s not to pursue his original plan to become a veterinarian because he loved his work as a enologist much more—and this in an era when being a “vintner” carried none of the glamor but all of the grit.

By 1951, Joe had earned his Master’s Degree in Enology from UC Davis and was working hard to hone his skills in wineries located in Lodi and Fresno. He caught the eye of revered winemaker AndrĂ© Tchelistcheff at Napa Valley’s historic Beaulieu Vineyard and became his right-hand man. Recognized as an excellent winemaker in his own right, Joe applied his prodigious knowledge and expertise to launching the Department of Enology at Fresno State College.  

In 1961, Joe and Alice purchased their first property: an eight-acre vineyard south of St. Helena in Napa Valley. Working out of the small winery attached to the parcel, they put in round-theclock sweat equity to build their business.

By 1964, Joe and Alice had discovered 160 acres in Spring Valley, where Joe sharpened his focus on Cabernet Sauvignon. The following year, the Heitz and the May families shook hands on a deal that would change everything—and would form the foundation for a friendship that would grow over the next five decades.

The handshake that changed history 
When Tom and Martha May bought their home and vineyard in 1963, the previous owner left them two bottles of Heitz Cellars wine as a gift. Impressed with the wine, they decided to visit Heitz Wine Cellars, where they purchased more. Soon a friendship grew between the two couples that marked the beginning of one of the most important relationships in the winemaking industry.

In 1965, visiting what Tom had impishly named “Martha’s Vineyard” after his wife, Joe admired the quality of Tom’s first harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon and offered to buy all of the grapes. The two shook hands and the deal was done—and the rest, as they say, is history. The wine Joe made from that fruit so impressed him that in 1966, he and Tom decided to recognize this amazing vineyard by putting the actual vineyard name on the bottle. Napa Valley’s first vineyarddesignated Cabernet Sauvignon was born, long before American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) existed. Half a century later, Heitz Cellars Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon continues to garner acclaim and is beloved by both critics and connoisseurs.

Second generation Richard May and Laura May Everett are a major force in their family business as well. They approach the farming of Martha's Vineyard—which was one of Napa’s first organically farmed ranches—in the May family tradition: with great energy and ardor. Both are devoted to the preservation of the extraordinary land that is their heritage. And the May family’s friendship and exclusive arrangement with the Heitz family continues to this day.

Three generations of excellence 
For the Heitz family, a successful generational business is defined by its future, but relies on a deep respect for the foundation built in the past.  Joe and Alice Heitz had the foresight to recognize that Napa Valley wines could find their place among the upper echelon of wines from around the world, and they envisioned bringing those wines to new global markets. They worked hard to put the foundation in place, setting unparalleled standards of quality and commanding higher prices that set the tone for greater parity with European wines.  

Their daughter, President and CEO Kathleen Heitz Myers, studied in Switzerland and holds a degree in Biology. It was Kathleen’s understanding of the European and Asian markets and her business expertise that held the key to realizing Joe and Alice’s global vision. “Living abroad gave me an international perspective and a strong foundation to build upon, especially when it came to the perseverance of introducing California wines to markets that really weren’t open to them at the time,” she says. Kathleen developed and implemented Heitz Cellar’s export strategy; Heitz Cellars wines can now be found in all 50 states and 25 countries. She also modernized and diversified the business, positioning it for continued success.

Winemaker David Heitz received his degree in enology from Fresno State University in 1974—the same year he was called upon to step into his father’s shoes at harvest when Joe was sidelined by an injury. David did more than just keep things afloat: their teamwork gifted collectors around the world with the 1974 Martha's Vineyard Cabernet. David continued to fine-tune his craft as he worked beside his father until the mid-1990s, when he officially assumed full responsibility for winemaking. Joe instilled in his son a patient, thoughtful approach to winemaking and meticulous standards. Today, David faithfully upholds those standards, deliberately staying true to a vision of classic, polished wines with restraint and elegance, and allowing the quality of the wines to speak for themselves.

Representing the family’s third generation, David’s son Harrison Heitz joined the team at Heitz Wine Cellars in 2012 with an appreciation of the family’s legacy and his sights on contributing to the future success of the business. Like the rest of the family, Harrison holds education and hard work in high esteem, and he continually pushes himself to learn more. He is currently focused on sales and marketing and has been instrumental in developing the winery's solar energy plan. He has also become an effective ambassador for the winery during extensive travel through Asia with Wine Institute and Napa Valley Vintners Association.

Heitz Wine Cellars today 
The Heitz family loves the work, and is hands-on with daily operations in the vineyards and winery. In the words of Kathleen, “No matter how much your heritage sparkles, 'automatic pilot' does not work. Our business is thriving today because the Heitz team actively pursues and implements innovative farming and production practices without losing sight of our signature winemaking traditions.” Being a family-run business, they continually work to “ask the right questions” to evaluate technological advances and new ideas to determine whether they adhere to the winery’s—and the family’s—core values of quality, integrity and innovation.  

From the beginning, the Heitz family understood that in order for them to continue doing what they truly love with integrity and purpose they must be stewards of the land. Of the 1,100 acres in their care, only 425 are planted. They have granted a conservation easement to the Land Trust of Napa County, restored riparian areas and provided wildlife corridors in their vineyards. They also practice sustainable and certified organic farming in order to preserve Napa’s rich agricultural heritage and contribute to a healthy future for everyone who calls the Napa Valley home.

The family has curated a collection of vineyards in six of Napa Valley’s appellations, carefully selected to convey the incomparable breadth of geography and climate that makes the Napa Valley one of the world’s finest winegrowing destinations.  

Heitz Wine Cellars offers an illustrious portfolio of prestige Napa Valley varietals, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery also creates a Port made from Portuguese grape varieties and a crowd-pleasing Grignolino; it is one of the only US wineries to offer this charming Italian varietal.  

All current vintages can be found in the Heitz Cellar Sales & Tasting Room, located at the winery’s original site just south of downtown St. Helena. In a long-held tradition of hospitality, there is no charge for tastings.

The Heitz family values their relationships, approaching business partners, employees, customers and their community with an enduring integrity that has brought them admiration and respect. One of the very few remaining true Napa Valley legacy wineries, Heitz Wine Cellars has been a cherished family business for more than half a century—and is looking forward to the next half.  

WWW.HEITZCELLAR.COM