napa valley · consulting winemaker
I partner with wineries who want thoughtful wines — wines that feel like somewhere. From vine to bottle, with care and intention the whole way through.
who i work with
Family wineries, new labels, custom crush clients. People who care deeply about what's in the bottle and want a real partner. I keep my roster small so every relationship gets the time it deserves.
what drives me
"I want every wine to feel like somewhere. Like it has a heartbeat and a sense of place."
what i do
one
vine to glass
Full winemaking partnership from the first vineyard walk to bottling day.
two
cellar work
Operations, quality systems, and workflow for established programs.
three
first vintage
Start to finish support for new labels and custom crush clients building their first program.
about
I grew up chasing good things. Good waves, good food, good company. Wine found me somewhere along the way and it turned out to be the thing I couldn't stop thinking about. The science of it, the land behind it, the way a single glass can take you to a hillside you've never stood on. Hooked ever since.
I studied Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, then spent the next decade getting my hands dirty at some great houses across Napa and Sonoma — Stags' Leap, Pine Ridge, Hall, Nickel and Nickel, and eight years with the Far Niente family, most of it leading the Bella Union program as Winemaker. A few of those years I got to work alongside Thomas Brown. One of the best experiences of my career. Working at that level, with fruit that good, raised my bar for everything.
That time gave me 98-point wines, deep roots in the Napa Cab world, and an honest understanding of what it takes to build a program that lasts. The unglamorous parts too — harvest logistics, cellar SOPs, team building, budget spreadsheets at midnight. I've done all of it and I genuinely love it.
I've also chased harvest to New Zealand and Tuscany. Hawke's Bay and the hills above Lucca. Those trips reminded me that the best winemakers never stop being curious about place — and reshaped how I think about what a wine can say about where it comes from.
Now I'm out on my own. Working with a small group of people who are serious about what they're building and want a real partner in the cellar. If that's you, I'd love to talk.
places that shaped me
Napa Valley, CA
Home base. Far Niente, Bella Union, Nickel and Nickel.
Sonoma, CA
Where it started. Stags' Leap, early harvests.
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Harvest season. Church Road Winery.
Colline Lucchesi, Tuscany
Harvest season. Tenuta di Valgiano.
services
Whether you're starting from zero or refining something already finding its footing, I bring real Napa winemaking experience without the overhead of a full-time hire. I work with a small number of clients at a time on purpose. Because I'd rather do a few things really well than spread thin.
This is the full ride. From walking vineyards together and deciding when to pick, through fermentation, barrel aging, and bottling. I've made wine this way for years and I love this part of the work.
Already making wine and want to level up the operation? I can help you tighten your cellar workflow, sharpen your quality systems, grow your team thoughtfully, or navigate a big transition without losing the soul of what you're building.
Starting something new is exciting and a little terrifying. I've been there. I'll help you figure out your style, find great fruit, get through your first vintage in one piece, and build the kind of foundation that makes the second one even better.
contact
I take on a small number of clients each year so every relationship gets the attention it deserves. If you're building something you care about and want a winemaker who'll care about it too, I'd love to hear from you.
accessibility
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get in touch
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business hours
Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Pacific Time.
response time
We aim to respond to all accessibility inquiries within one business day.
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