PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Reach Wine Consulting Los Angeles, CA | 2017 – Present Winemaking & Vineyard Management Consultant
- Provide winemaking direction for various brands establishing quality standards, wine style parameters, and production protocols across each label.
- Directed end-to-end construction of a new winery facility, leading capital planning, equipment procurement, contractor management, and regulatory compliance.
- Manage grape procurement, grower relationships, and long-term supply planning; collaborate with ownership on new brand development and portfolio innovation.
- Manage vineyards in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, providing full service viticultural oversite
Foley Family Wines Los Olivos, CA | 2009 – 2017 Winemaker — Firestone Vineyards, Proximity 26, EOS Estate, Fog Theory, Gretzky Wines
- Directed all winemaking for a 1,800-ton estate producing 250,000 cases annually across 3 estate brands plus oversight of 2 négociant labels producing 80,000 cases annually.
- Maintained and enforced wine style, technical, and quality standards across the full portfolio, ensuring consistency across varietals, tiers, and production volumes.
- Oversaw bottling operations and managed the bottling calendar in coordination with winemaking and production teams.
- Developed annual operating budgets and capital expenditure plans; monitored KPIs including cost of goods, yield, quality metrics, and capacity utilization.
- Negotiated grape purchase and sale contracts and bulk wine acquisitions; managed long-term grower relationships and supply continuity strategy.
- Led vineyard operations through a house vineyard manager and external viticultural consultant, aligning fruit sourcing with quality and production goals.
- Supervised all winery personnel across cellar, lab, and production; managed compliance reporting, inventory, and record keeping.
- Represented brands nationally through distributor presentations, trade ride-alongs, and winemaker dinners; led development of new vineyard and wine programs to expand market positioning.
Trefethen Family Vineyards Napa, CA | 1999 – 2008 Winemaker (promoted from Assistant Winemaker, 2005)
- Directed winery operations for a 1,100-ton estate producing 65,000 cases annually plus 10,000 cases of custom crush: overseeing cellar, laboratory, personnel, and compliance functions.
- Partnered with vineyard team on viticultural best practices; managed barrel and equipment procurement and represented Trefethen in trade engagements.
Earned promotion to Winemaker following demonstrated leadership and technical excellence during the 2005 harvest
CHATEAU POTELLE — Napa, CA (1997–1999)
Position: Assistant Winemaker
- Involved in all aspects of the winemaking process from laboratory, cellar work, bottling activities, fermentation, to blending and finishing wines, assisted in daily operation of 24,000 case winery.
- Maintained the winery database, purchased all necessary supplies for production and bottling.
NEWTON VINEYARDS — St. Helena, CA (1996–1997)
Position: Enologist
- Performed all laboratory analysis and record keeping, upgraded laboratory and established standard lab procedures, made all lab purchases, including major equipment.
- Involved in all elements of cellar work
EDUCATION
University of California at Davis Bachelor of Science, Fermentation Science