“To be intriguing is to invite curiosity and spark fascination.”  – Unknown

The following pages contain Napa Valley Life’s 23rd annual list of Napa Valley’s most Intriguing People—residents whose interesting backgrounds and stories have made them stand out in the community and who are worth getting to know. 

Andrew Allison

CEO and Co-Founder -Cuvée

Navigating Napa Valley with A Native

Andrew Allison and the team at Cuvée are Napa natives, born and raised, and what could be better for a company whose goal is to guide visitors to the best the region has to offer? With Cuvee’s easy-to-use app, navigating options and booking a wine country adventure is a breeze.

Allison’s roots in Napa Valley run deep, his family having planted cabernet sauvignon grapes in the Atlas Peak AVA during the 1980s. He is a down-home boy at heart, graduating from Napa High School and working the gamut of jobs in wine country. Allison completed a B.S. at Sonoma State University with honors, concentrating on wine business strategies and finance, and was later accepted into their wine executive MBA program. Allison has also received his WSET2 wine accreditation.

In 2009, with friends, Allison built his first app, Barspace.tv, which was subsequently sold to a liquor distributor in 2011 — this important developmental work was done before he joined Vungle as a member of their founding team, worked for Ogury in London, Berlin, and Paris, and then co-founded Gawkbox in Seattle. Shortly thereafter, Allison began conceptualizing Cuvée in conjunction with fellow Vungle alum, Daniele Delgrosso, who would also become a Cuvée co-founder. Allison and Delgrosso are excited about the app and believe it will better help visitors navigate Napa Valley.

With well over 400 wineries in the county, and dozens of resorts, hotels, and restaurants, it can be overwhelming to plan a trip to the region and feel confident that the choices and reservations made best meet expectations and needs. Allison’s app seeks to bridge that gap by pooling information on venues and tourist-related businesses and services, whereby visitors can be directed to their most appropriate options.

Allison is bullish about the impacts Cuvee will have on the region. “Our business is about supporting other local businesses by guiding visitors (and locals, too) to all the amazing activities Napa Valley has to offer. Our goal is to bring 75,000 groups of visitors to Napa wineries in 2025, resulting in business for all other services and activities in the region.” // www.cuveeapp.com

 

In Memoriam  (1936 – 2024)

Howard Backen

Architect

Architecture That Defined the Napa Lifestyle

Howard Backen’s architecture springboarded an entire movement that would become known as the Napa Lifestyle. His iconic structures in the region meld sophistication and intelligent design with thoughtful orientation and natural materials that perfectly suit Napa Valley’s inspiring vistas while also paying homage to its historical agricultural structures and farmhouses. Yet Backen’s architecture goes well beyond, pointing to the region’s evolution from mixed agriculture to viticulture and the more sophisticated lifestyle that entails.

Classic examples of Backen’s work in Napa Valley can be found at BOND Wine, the Napa Valley Reserve, the boathouse for Rudd Estate’s tasting room, and at both Harlan Estate and Promontory Wine.

Backen’s connection to Napa Valley ran deep, and he made it his home for many years. He was inspired by the land, the temperate climate, the beautiful scenery, and the valley’s unique ecology. He believed in the importance of outdoor living and being connected to the environment. In that, he walked the walk — enjoying outdoor cooking, dining, socializing, sleeping, and showering amongst the trees.

However, in later years, Backen and his wife and business partner, Ann Ernish-Backen, branched out to Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Montecito, and they continued to return to Napa Valley. Ann said, “Napa Valley has always been home for us, and it holds a special place in our hearts, but in 2018, Howard and I felt it was time to expand our vision beyond the valley and to carry our philosophy and lifestyle to new locations.”

Backen inspired many leaders in the industry, such as architect Tom Kundig, for his openness and collaborative methods, and he left behind a legacy of people he mentored. Over his 65-year career, numerous architects and designers would work for and with Backen, his influence spawning numerous other award-winning firms, such as AD100 with renowned interior designer Nicole Hollis.

Backen was honored to receive the Presidential Award for Design Excellence and the Lawrence Medal, which is given out annually to distinguished alums by the University of Oregon’s College of Design.  // www.backenarch.com

 

Darryl Bell

Executive Chef and Co-Owner Stateline Road Smokehouse

Smokin’ Hot Kansas City BBQ Comes to Napa

Darryl Bell got his start as a chef when, at the age of 8, he took over much of the cooking for his mother, who was working hard to support a household of six. The meals at their home consisted of simple staples, a favorite being lentils and hot water cornbread. Bell loved this job — the responsibility of it. Cooking gave him confidence, and it was a game of sorts — his goal was to make things taste good every time he cooked.

Age 14 was a formative year for Bell; it was the year he first watched Great Chefs of the World. Seeing chefs in action, making their best entrées, set Bell’s imagination on fire. Also during that year, Bell was asked to do his first BBQ — for twenty people. Four months in advance, he planned out the menu and began trying out the techniques he would use. The writing was on the wall; Bell was going to be a chef.

Bell went to culinary school, followed by a stint in France, where he did formal training in pastry-making. Bell was ready to take his next step, or as was the case, a giant leap. His roommate at the time talked about working for Thomas Keller, and as Bell thought about that, he decided to go for it — why not start his career by working for the very best in his field?

In 2009, Bell moved to California to work for Bouchon Bistro. Not only did he hold his own in their kitchen, he became the executive sous chef. Bell would go on to work for other prestigious restaurants in the region, most recently as chef de cuisine for Press.

As Bell worked for Press, he began to conceptualize a restaurant of his own, one that would be recession and pandemic-proof, with a price point for families — a place where he could showcase his distinctive BBQ. Stateline Road Smokehouse was born, and its much-anticipated opening was on August 8, 2024. Chef Bell and partner Jeremy Threat’s new venture has received rave reviews, which have fueled the company’s already large following. // www.stateline-road.com

 

Pedro Ceja & Amelia Ceja

Co-Founder // Ceja Vineyards  |  President  // Ceja Vineyards

Family, Food & Wine

Amelia and Pedro Ceja are pillars of Napa Valley’s wine community and leaders in a growing sector of wine consumers and producers — Hispanics. They are also the founders of the prestigious Mexican American Vintners Association, whose mission is to promote and support the contributions of Mexican-Americans in the wine industry and to support education in the Hispanic community. The Cejas represent all that is good about working in this region — the tenacity of the vineyard and cellar workforce, the skills and drive of immigrants that energize the industry, and the realization of lifelong dreams, owning a piece of the land and having a meaningful stake in the region’s winemaking.

Ceja Vineyards was established in 1999 by Amelia, Pedro, Armando, and Martha Ceja and has become popular not only with locals but nationally, thanks to the marketing efforts of president and co-founder Amelia Ceja and her team. Ceja is the first Mexican-American woman to launch a winery in the valley in conjunction with important partners. She has been featured on the media circuit, on Ted Talks and PBS, in the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Gastronomique en Vogue, and more.

With over 100 blog videos, Ceja draws viewers into the wine culture of Napa Valley but with a Hispanic bend, sharing Mexican recipes that pair beautifully with her winery’s varietals and engaging in conversations that shed light on the rich Mexican culture that inspires and enhances all of wine country. Amelia has won numerous awards for her efforts, including being named “Woman of the Year” by the California legislature, “Business Woman of the Year” by the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and “Most Outstanding Female Leader, Innovator and Visionary in the Wine Field,” by the North Bay Business Journal.

Pedro’s role in the winery’s success, while less public, is equally important — helping with label and packaging design, conceptualizing future facility design, and acting as a visionary. The Ceja family works as a team in all they do, and it is in this spirit they are able to envision a long and prosperous future for Ceja Vineyards. // www.cejavineyards.com

 

Cinthya Cisneros

Owner, La Cheve Bakery and Brews

Sharing The Good Life with Family and Community

La Cheve Bakery and Brews is all about comfort — a comfortable setting with beautiful décor, rustic wood furnishings, and attentive, accommodating staff. And then there’s the food, both savory and sweet – which is out of this world.

Cinthya Cisneros described her vision for La Cheve: “I want my customers to feel like they are back at grandma’s house in Mexico.” Mission accomplished. Folks must love visiting “grandma” because La Cheve is always packed and is now one of Napa’s favorite eateries, filling a need for great breakfast and lunch fare.

Cisneros and her parents are from La Piedad, Michoacan, in Mexico, and Cisneros was raised in Napa from 1994. Both parents worked hard outside the home, doing every kind of job to ensure their family could live the American Dream. Cisneros graduated from Vintage High School and then went on to study chemistry at Sonoma State. Her first inclination post-graduation was to enter the field of pathology, a career she did take on, though this avocation was a bit too intense for her temperament.

So, Cisneros channeled her skills toward teaching chemistry at River City HS in West Sacramento. It was during that time when Cisneros came home on weekends that she and her father started their hobby of making beer.

The family also enjoyed food-making and long philosophical discussions, and her mother, Juana, also loved baking and was exceptional at it. Juana was always nervous about making conchas, as hers tasted different than those of others, but those who enjoyed them found them to be the best they’d ever had.

Before long, Cisneros was envisioning ways to pool all their talents. She wanted to take activities the family loved doing together and somehow weave them into a viable business, essentially doing for her parents what they had done for her. It was in this spirit of passing on the American Dream that La Cheve was born.

La Cheve and Cisneros perpetuate this legacy by supporting organizations that help people find their version of the American Dream. Favorite organizations: If Given a Chance, 10,000 Degrees scholarships, and the Napa County Hispanic Network. // www.ilovelacheve.com

 

Naoko Dalla Valle

Founder, Farmer, and Proprietor Dalla Valle Vineyards

Achieving Balance In All Things

Perched on the second floor of her winery, Dalla Valle Vineyards’ founding owner, Naoko Dalla Valle, sits at a commanding table in a room spare on décor but rich in details. The setting affords the objets d’art in the space the opportunity to be cherished fully. Floral arrangements draw the eye to each bloom’s attributes through balance and economy, and the vineyards and natural vista beyond share like symmetry.

Naoko Dalla Valle is that perfect blend of Japanese sensibility and practicality, and the passion and artistic bend that is part of all that is European in her life, including her late Italian husband, Gustav, and the wine culture and techniques that he and their daughter brought from Italy and France. Dalla Valle, a stong, self-confident woman, has never been clearer about what she wants to accomplish in her life. Her wines have garnered the highest ratings from major wine publications — from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to Wine Spectator and Vinous, James Suckling, and Jeb Dunnuck to The Wine Independent.

Key characteristics noted are the purity of the fruit, the wine’s complexity, its restraint in style, and its age-ability, all a reflection of the priorities and attention to detail master vintner Dalla Valle puts to her craft.

Dalla Valle grew up in Kobe, Japan, and before meeting her husband, she spent time in Tokyo and London, where she studied art. Late husband, Gustav, grew up in Northern Italy and was also an artist, having studied architecture. Part of their affinity for one another was applying their respective artistic skills to everything they pursued, from their highly successful SCUBAPRO venture to Dalla Valle Vineyards.

Dalla Valle is also passionate about her charitable endeavors, including UCSF’s Brain Tumor Center, Auction Napa Valley, and OLE Health Foundation, for which she is chair. In closing, Dalla Valle expressed this: “I believe wholeheartedly that access to quality healthcare is a basic human right and must be available to all people, regardless of their walk in life.” Dalla Valle’s talents in philanthropy rival those she puts into her award-winning wines. // www.dallavallevineyards.com

 

Bill Dodd

Former State Senator

Advocate for All in Napa County

Bill Dodd has been looking out for the best interests of Napa Valley his entire career, most recently bringing over $100 million in grants and appropriations to the county during his 10-year stint as a state senator and in the California State Assembly. Dodd’s service to Napa Valley goes much further back — decades, in fact, with his having served on the Napa County Board of Supervisors from 2000 – 2014, acting as Chair of the Local Agency Formation Commission of Napa County, Chair of the Napa County League of Governments, Chair of the Napa County Transportation Planning Agency, and Chair of the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, among other appointments.

Dodd has also contributed to the community by serving on the boards of Queen of the Valley Hospital Foundation, Justin-Siena High School, Health Care for the Poor, Wolfe Center Youth Drug and Alcohol Center, and the Children’s Health Initiative.

The many grants and direct appropriations Dodd shepherded to the county have benefitted the Boys and Girls Club, wildfire safety programs, and Napa Valley College. Dodd was also instrumental in passing legislation for the county’s farmworker housing, the sale of Skyline Park, initiatives for safety at Napa State Hospital, and numerous local traffic and road projects. At the state level, Dodd gave voice to Napa Valley’s wine industry as co-chair of the Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, representing tourism and entrepreneurs in addition to wineries and vineyards.

Senator Dodd retired on November 30, 2024, having worked as a public servant for over 24 years. He is without question one of the most prolific lawmakers in California history, having authored 126 bills that were subsequently signed into law, many of which were highly impactful to the region.

Dodd will be retiring in Napa, where he was born and raised. He intends to stay involved in his community, contributing his skills and time to local projects that need doing. Dodd’s greatest concern is investing in the future and setting aside political differences: “What unites us is so much greater than what divides us. I truly believe in our ability to meet the moment and overcome challenges.”

 

Angela Duerr

Founder, Chief Experience Officer  Cultured Vine & Judgment of Napa

Elevated Experiences in Napa Valley

For those who would come to Napa Valley for the ultimate, one-of-a-kind experience and to savor the best the valley has to offer, Angela Duerr is the person who can make that happen. Duerr’s Cultured Vine creates custom experiences, marrying the skills of wine experts, travel professionals, chefs, and event designers to create days-long experiences that are exclusive, indulgent, and soulful.

Duerr’s background was in corporate sales and banking, and in 2006-2007, she decided the time was right to make a career change as stock market crashes brought her industry to its knees. Duerr moved to St. Helena, bringing her sales and marketing acumen to the wine industry. She became a consultant, launching and redirecting luxury brands through direct-to-consumer sales while burnishing her knowledge of wine and the region via the local bocce ball courts, weekends at Duckhorn Vineyards, and taking viticulture and enology courses—all of that networking paid off in spades.

Duerr’s new business connections enjoyed staying in touch, consulting with her whenever they planned a trip to the region, knowing she knew where to go and what to do, and trusting her maturity, taste, and intelligence when planning their trip to the area.

These connections would prove to be the portal to Duerr’s next venture, and in 2015, Cultured Vine was born, an agency specializing in curated experiences for those who would stay and make their celebrations in Napa Valley. Duerr noted that her daughter, Danelle, has been instrumental in helping her bring all of this together.

In 2021, Duerr created her most significant experience to date in the “Judgment of Napa,” a wine-tasting competition not unlike the historic “Judgment of Paris.” Patricia Gastaud, one of the organizing forces behind the famous Paris competition and one of its eleven judges, had high praise for Duerr: “The ‘Judgment of Napa’ at Charles Krug Winery was a landmark event for which Angela must take all the credit. By sparing no effort or expense, she succeeded in bringing the torch to Napa.” // www.culturedvine.com

 

Mike Greensill

Pianist

The Bohemian Amongst Us

Mike Greensill, jazz pianist, arranger, recording artist, and author, is, without question, one of Napa Valley’s most colorful characters, not just because of the intriguing life he’s led but for his exceptional musicianship. After decades of making his way in San Francisco’s bohemian music scene, Greensill now resides in St. Helena, gracing neighbors with his musical artistry.

Greensill emanates from Dursley, a village in the UK. He notes early musical influences in his mother’s piano playing, singing in the church choir, and his many clarinet, piano, and guitar lessons. Childhood music heroes included Jelly Roll Morton and clarinetist Acker Bilk. At age 12, Greensill discovered jazz through recordings by Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker.

Greensill would go on to study clarinet at Leed’s College, though his teacher was disappointed with his technique, which was going the way of jazz, thus nudging Greensill to switch to arranging. Greensill would soon be invited to play piano at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, an opportunity he could not resist. Among his following were Jewish fans from New York, who would bring back sheet music for him to play on return visits, in the process introducing him to what would become the core of his repertoire — the Great American Songbook — the jazz standards, pop tunes, musical theatre melodies of the mid-20th century.

In 1977, Greensill found his way to San Francisco — a great fit for his musical skills and inclinations, and it was there he connected with renowned singer Wesla Whitfield, his third wife, a loving musical partnership that would endure, the couple recording 20 albums together. Greensill and Whitfield went on to perform at venues throughout New York City and San Francisco, playing for what Greensill describes as “big crowds in small rooms.”

For those wanting to catch some of Greensill’s captivating playing, he hosts a weekly piano concert, “Jazz in the Afternoon,” at 3 pm on Thursdays on his Facebook page and can be found tickling the ivories at The Fink in downtown Napa on the first Wednesday of every month. // www.mikegreensill.com 

 

Barry Martin and
Taylor Bartolucci 

Co-Founder, Managing Director Lucky Penny Productions | Co-Founder, Artistic Director Lucky Penny Productions

The Native and The Expat

Where to begin with this endlessly entertaining pair? Both have led fascinating lives, have much to say, and have some great platforms to make their declarations. One can find this duo talking all things Napa Valley on “Wine Country Live,” which is broadcast weekdays from 6 -10am on 99.3, The Vine (along with Cara Mae Wooledge), as well as managing, performing, and directing theatre through their Lucky Penny Productions, Napa’s premier theatre company.

Barry Martin hails from Joplin, MO, bringing with him all the intrigue and quirkiness one might expect from a land so far away, while Taylor Bartolucci, a 4th generation Napan, grew up singing in the vineyards of Madonna Estate. Bartolucci had the benefit of a mother willing to drive the extra mile, literally, to take her to voice lessons and acting classes, and productions around the Bay Area, which in turn led to a theatre arts degree from Pepperdine University.

Bartolucci would go on to get a Certificate Degree in Viticulture and Enology from U.C. Davis, returning to the family fold to become an integral part of their winery — a multi-generational legacy she feels compelled to preserve for her own children.

In addition to her work as co-founder and director for Lucky Penny Productions, Bartolucci has been an influential community leader, involved with the Napa Valley Vintners Association, Leadership Napa Valley, and she has served as a commissioner for the City of Napa’s Park and Recreation Department.

Martin studied education and theatre at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and Missouri Southern State University, respectively. He, too, has deep roots in the community, not only through his 32+ years as a manager, producer, presenter, and host for KVON/KVYN radio but also for his many years as the community outreach coordinator for the City of Napa and his almost 16 years as co-founder and managing director for Lucky Penny Productions.

Bartolucci and Martin are not only cornerstones of Napa Valley’s arts community but have served Napa Valley in many other capacities, professionally and as community leaders. // www.luckypennynapa.com

 

Taylor Kindred and Aubrey Bailey

Proprietors  //  Cadet Wine + Beer Bar and Chispa | Food + Drink

Shaking Up Napa Valley’s Beverage Industry

Aubrey Bailey and Taylor Kindred are two high-spirited, self-described “wine and beverage nerds,” entrepreneurs whose projects have been shaking the valley’s wine foundation. Their latest endeavor, Chispa | Food + Drink, a tequila and seafood bar, has attracted national attention, garnering the fourth slot in Esquire Magazine’s “The Best Bars in America 2024.” This was no small feat, bringing tequila center stage in the middle of wine country,  but considering the tenacity of the women behind the bar, it comes as no surprise these two could pull it off.

Aubrey Bailey came to Napa Valley nearly 20 years ago to work as the pastry cook for Yountville’s renowned Redd restaurant. Chef Reddington recognized Bailey’s talent and encouraged her to pursue work at The French Laundry, and it was there that she learned what was needed to succeed in this highly competitive market. Bailey went on to become a wine expert, bolstering her know-how with side work at regional tasting rooms and through viticulture and enology classes. Bailey would go on to become The French Laundry’s esteemed sommelier.

In 2014, confident she had the chops to go it on her own, Bailey and a partner opened the Cadet Wine + Beer Bar in downtown Napa, which became a popular watering hole for locals and tourists alike. Cadet stood out for its offering of craft beers, great wines, and for being open well into the evening, highly unusual in Napa’s sleepy agricultural community.

Taylor Kindred, originally from Concord, began working in restaurants at the tender age of 15 and has always had a passion for food and wine. In 2013, Kindred positioned herself at the pinnacle of foodie culture by moving to the region, working at Darioush and Schweiger Vineyards, then applying for the bartender position at Cadet. Kindred worked alongside Bailey for ten years, and in 2020, she became her business partner.

Together, these close friends would go on to realize their next dream, a tequila bar, the classy and popular Chispa — in Napa Valley of all places. As Bailey pointed out, “Napa Valley had to evolve; we had to be doing new things. Like wine, tequila has similarities in terms of geography and provenance. Chispa was meant to be.” // www.cadetbar.com  //  www.chispabar.com

 

Garret Murphy

Founder / owner, The Vintners Collective Photographer / Painter, Garret Thomas Murphy | Fine Art Photography

The Long and Wining Road

Garrett Murphy’s extensive knowledge of all things wine-related, as well as his warmth and intelligence are just a few of the reasons for the success of his business, the Vintner’s Collective, which has thrived in downtown Napa for 23 years. From the beginning, the Collective captured the imagination of locals and tourists by representing the region’s top small producers — wines that couldn’t be tasted elsewhere. Also unique to the Collective back in 2001 was its tasting room in downtown Napa — not in a vineyard setting. Early interest in the Collective was partly due to Murphy’s exceptional networking and marketing skills and the unique tasting events the Collective hosted throughout the year.

Murphy was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but grew up in Paris, a setting he remembers enjoying for its gritty artistic bend and foodie culture. Murphy returned to the United States at 17, initially living in Manhattan, then Boston. He eventually made his way to California, where he would work as a consultant in fine dining establishments for nearly 15 years, Auberge du Soleil and Meadowood Napa Valley among his clients.

In addition to the Vintners Collective, an endeavor for which Murphy is especially proud was his Kitchen Collective, an urban cooking club, which had a successful run from 2015 through 2020 — basically until the pandemic. Members took cooking classes with renowned chefs, attended winemaker dinners, hosted their own dinners, and partook in other wine and culinary events. This unique experience was inspired, in part, by the Basque Gastronomic Societies of Spain.

Murphy has since branched out beyond food and wine, now doing fine art photography, drone videography, and being a painter. When asked what keeps him in Napa Valley, Murphy replied, “Napa Valley is the closest one can get to living in France, with its rich food and wine culture and its slower pace, and I thoroughly enjoy representing small producers who need a place to showcase their wines — guiding them professionally and helping them effectively promote their great products.” // www.vintnerscollective.com  // www.garretmurphyart.com

 

Rex Pickett

Legendary Author of Sideways

He Came for The Lifestyle And Stayed For The Pinot Noir

Most lovers of California wines are familiar with Sideways, the iconic story of two friends and a last trip they take, as single buddies, through the Santa Ynez Valley wine country, exploring wineries as they work through their respective midlife identity crises. This thought-provoking story about relationships and wine is one of the most popular flicks among wine buffs, with a following that continues to grow. What most wine lovers don’t know is that Rex Pickett now lives in Napa Valley and is a frequent forager at the Napa Farmers Market on Saturdays (he’s an eating-at-home sort of a guy).

Even more often, Pickett can be found putting back a glass of his favorite Ancien Pinot Noir at The Vintner’s Collective on Main Street, just a few steps from his Napa home. It’s at the Collective that Pickett meets up with fans, signs books, and hangs out with his good friend (and the Collective’s owner), Garret Murphy. Imagine the Napa Valley version of Cheers.

The critically acclaimed cult movie Sideways, based on Pickett’s New York Times bestselling novel, Sideways, won five Academy Award nominations, winning for Best Adapted Screenplay and seven Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Screenplay and Best Picture. It also received accolades from over 350 film critics and film organizations. Pickett subsequently authored four sequels to the book: Vertical, Sideways New Zealand, Sideways Chile, and Sideways Oregon.

Pickett is also the screenwriter for the short, My Mother Dreams the Satan’s Disciples in New York, which won the 2000 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. This makes Pickett a two-time Oscar-winning writer. In addition, Pickett’s Vertical and Sideways Chile received IPPY Gold Medals, and his novel The Archivist, published in 2021, was featured in the New York Times’s “16 New Books Coming in November.” // www.rexpickettbooks.com

 

Steve Sando

Founder & CEO, Rancho Gordo

Cool Beans

Steve Sando’s unusual story is a thing of local legend. His wildly successful Rancho Gordo heirloom beans have taken off in a way that few would have expected. In the early days, Sando produced 300 lbs. of beans per year, but just 17 years later, the company made nearly half a million pounds annually. Sando’s beans are now sold through the Rancho Gordo website and storefront, as well as through wholesalers and specialty food outlets. Taking the lead from the wine industry, Sando also considered offering a “bean club,” which now has over 26,000 members— and a waitlist of over 15,000 more.

Owning and operating a company that produced beans was not something Sando had thought to do in the early part of his career — it was more an avocation that he described as landing in his lap. Unplanned turns in his work life are somewhat of a pattern for Sando, from his jazz radio show in Italy to his being a wholesaler of Esprit clothing to his stint as a web designer. Disparate as these professions may sound, all have played a part in the business he runs today.

Sando’s adventure in growing food started on a whim. Though not a farmer and suffering from job burnout, Sando had a notion to start growing heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables. Once he had more than he could personally consume, he thought to sell his leftovers at the Yountville Farmers Market. Contacts he made there led him to market beans for another farmer, which led to his growing and selling his own beans, heirloom varieties of particular interest.

Sando’s bean products got immediate attention — one of his first customers and fans was Thomas Keller, whose restaurants The French Laundry and Per Se were located near the market. Keller’s endorsement of Rancho Gordo products would lead to other prestigious restaurants in the Bay Area hopping on board, not just in incorporating Sando’s amazing beans into their usual recipes but also in putting heirloom beans front and center on the plate.

Sando is also a prolific writer, with seven books on beans under his belt. His most recent, “The Bean Book,” made the New York Times Bestseller list and is already in its second printing. // www.ranchogordo.com

 

John Tuteur

Conservationist, Public Servant, Rancher

A Renaissance Man for Napa Valley

No matter where one meets John Tuteur for lunch in Napa County, the meal is bound to be interrupted numerous times by people swinging by the table to say “Hi, John,” or “Aren’t you John Tuteur?” Often, there is a story or question to follow, sometimes long and occasionally emotional, which starts like this: “Remember when you helped my mother?” or “Thanks for getting back to me on that issue about my easement.”

Occasionally, someone is a bit chafed about their tax assessment and not afraid to say so publicly, but Tuteur handles it all with aplomb and respect. Invariably, he takes time to connect, reminisce, or problem-solve then and there, only occasionally saying, “Can I get back to you on this?” This is usually because his ice cream sundae has arrived.

Tuteur is a consummate public servant, having worked for the citizens of Napa County on the Board of Supervisors between 1972 and 1981, then again in 1986 as assessor, a position that would soon expand to include duties as the county recorder, county clerk, registrar of voters, and commissioner of civil marriages. Yes — the longest job title in the county. Tuteur is also the county’s longest-serving elected official, having been in office for 45 years.

Tuteur’s empathy, intelligence, analytical skills, and vast knowledge of all things Napa County have come about not only because of his many years with the county but also because of his exceptional education at Yale and UC Berkeley and as a result of the many other things he does in his life, namely his work as a rancher and conservationist. Tuteur is a lifetime member of the Sierra Club and has strong ties to the Land Trust of Napa County, to which he has turned over large tracts of his family estate to ensure it remains undeveloped.

On weekends and evenings, Tuteur can be found on his horse wrangling cattle, doing farm chores, picking up trash on the roadside, taking a long hike with friends, or making waffles for his grandchildren. // www.countyofnapa.org

 

Judd Wallenbrock

CEO, Somerston Estate

Marketing The Good Life

One would be hard-pressed to find anyone with more experience and knowledge about wine and Napa Valley than Judd Wallenbrock. Wallenbrock has over 44 years of experience working in the wine industry, rubbing elbows with many of the heavy hitters in the wine world, including C. Mondavi & Family, Jessup Cellars, Signorello Estate, Michel-Schlumberger, De Loach Vineyards, and Robert Mondavi — this, in addition to his nearly 16 years as owner and founder of Humanitas Winery and his current position as CEO of Somerston Estate. To say Wallenbrock has packed in more experience than almost anyone else in his field would not be an overstatement.

So, how does Wallenbrock sum up a career with so much depth? “Over the years, I became known as a person who could build brands and was a fixer. I took the basic concepts I learned early on from Robert and Magrit Mondavi— that wine is a beverage of experience and best co-mingled with food and the arts, and I built my career on this foundation.” Wallenbrock said. “My goal is to guide people toward experiencing the good life, to find ways to bring them back to the experience of enjoying wine.”

For his many illustrious clients, Wallenbrock has worked in top leadership positions — as president or vice president, head of marketing, COO, CEO, or managing partner. Invariably, Wallenbrock’s creativity and drive have resulted in important gains and stability for those fortunate enough to have enjoyed his leadership.

When asked which projects were of most pride, Wallenbrock, without hesitation, talked of his own winery, Humanitas Wines: “I had always wanted to have my own winery and to give back to my community — Napa, being the place I cherish. I wanted to tackle hunger, housing, and health and to do so locally.” Though not a non-profit, Humanitas was organized to give all profits to charity.

Fit as a fiddle and full of boundless energy and enthusiasm, there is no doubt Wallenbrock will continue to breathe new life into Napa Valley’s wine industry while nurturing its strong roots. // www.somerstonestate.com