A peek into their past - Brittany Pederson (left) and Cathy Corison (right).

March: Celebrating Women in Agriculture

Throughout our 50th anniversary, we're sharing monthly articles celebrating our work, and the people that make it possible, with the support of Wine Business Monthly. In honor of March being Women's History Month, we've published a Q&A with Brittany Pederson, founder of Vintuition Viticulture, and Cathy Corison, owner of Corison Winery - read the full article and catch a sneak peek below:
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​March is Women's History Month, a time to honor the contributions of women throughout history and today. Some of the most respected and illustrious women in the grape growing and wine industries have made major contributions in the worldwide success of the Napa Valley. Throughout its history, the Napa Valley Grapegrowers has supported and celebrated their contributions to, and impact on, the industry.
Two of the individuals who epitomize this are Brittany Pederson and Cathy Corison. We spoke briefly with each on their roles and on the impact that women have had on the grape growing and wine industries.

Brittany Pederson - Vintuition Viticulture
Through extensive experience, and a true passion for art, science and agriculture, Brittany Pederson established her viticulture consulting company, Vintuition Viticulture. With over 18 years of grape growing experience, Brittany has gained extensive knowledge in many facets of viticulture and vineyard management; working throughout California and through grand travels and education in many major global wine-growing regions. Brittany connects directly with vineyard managers and crews to learn, teach, and communicate viticultural criteria, ensuring the activities are performed with the highest quality and attention to detail. Putting a high emphasis on community and giving back, she is quite involved throughout the industry and with various non-profits, committing herself to the vineyards and the people who make it possible to produce and deliver the fruit from grape to glass.

Q: Why did you choose the grape growing/viticulture industry...what got you interested in the field (pun intended!)?
A: I got into viticulture because, for me, it's the perfect blend of agriculture, science, and art. From a young age, I've always been drawn to the outdoors and fascinated by how things grow. But what really hooked me on viticulture was the realization that grape growing is a delicate dance between nature and nurture. It's a process that requires a deep understanding of the land, Mother Nature, the plants and the people. Viticulture also offers a sense of continuity, where you can look at a vineyard and know you're contributing to something that has been done for centuries. There's a real respect for tradition, but also a constant opportunity to innovate and improve. That balance is what keeps me passionate about this work each day.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of the job?
A: I found that there's something incredibly rewarding about working with a crop that is so tied to its environment yet is still shaped by your choices. Each choice you make in the vineyard will have a direct or indirect effect on something else. It's not just about growing grapes--it's about building a relationship with the land and understanding how to coax the best out of each season. Plus, the idea that the work you do each day will eventually be part of something that people enjoy and savor, like a glass of wine, adds a whole other layer of fulfillment to the job.

Q: How have things changed for women in the industry over last two or three decades?
A: I think that the past few decades is where we've seen the most significant shift for women in the industry. Those who dealt with the obstacles the women faced 20 years ago and more have paved the way for women entering the industry today. Many of those challenges or obstacles no longer exist, or not to the same extent they previously had. It's exciting to see women having great success and having found their voice, in what has historically been a male dominated industry. It's no longer a rare sight to see a woman in a leadership role; a vineyard manager, winemaker, or running a company, proving that growing and producing great wine isn't defined by gender, but instead by the art, dedication, passion, and expertise of the craft.

Read the Article

Learn more about Brittany in the next episode of our Grown in Napa Valley podcast! And be on the lookout for special 50th anniversary highlights throughout the entire year on our social media pages and website.

Organic Progress with Tom Davies

Tom Davies

​V. Sattui Winery in Napa Valley, which hosts 300,000 visitors a year, farms 350 acres of vineyard – all of which are being converted to fully organic. Inspired by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Climate Science Seminar, Ahead of the Curve, the recently released film, Children of the Vine, and extreme weather events, Tom Davies, president and part owner, and Dario Sattui, owner, were moved to act and transform their business operations. From removing plastic water bottles and adding a refill station, using all compostable deli containers and cutlery, implementing a rewarding ridesharing program, to a wine bottle recycling program, and more, they are laying the groundwork for a climate-conscious business.

Many of the winery’s vineyards were certified Napa Green and Fish-Friendly nearly 15 years ago, and the 28-acre Vittorio’s Estate Vineyard next to V. Sattui, earned Certified California Organic Farming (CCOF). Last year, the 22-acre estate vineyard at Castello di Amorosa was certified CCOF, and the 20-acre Mount Veeder vineyard began the certification process. The quest to convert V. Sattui and Castello di Amorosa combined 350 acres was the next step. (The wineries are separate entities, but farming for both is under the same umbrella.)

To become certified CCOF the process takes about three years. There will be an initial financial impact, which includes new equipment and labor, and there will be risks, like grape yields in rocky areas where soil nutrition was boosted by conventional nutrients. However, having learned from farming Vittorio’s Estate Vineyard organically the last 12 years, the outcome is better soils with better water retention – important as they look forward to future water restrictions. Other benefits include healthier soil microbes and vines that become more resistant to pest and disease, as well as carbon sequestration. Healthier soils, stronger vines, and carbon sequestration, the benefits of regenerative farming, make our entire ecosystem better.

Exit Plans with Barbara Gabel and Zach Zachowski

Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel

Barbara Gabel and Zach Zachowski had lived in the Oakland Hills for over 30 years when they decided to exit Zachary’s Chicago Pizza, the business they founded in 1983, which is now 100% employee owned. They looked all over the world, including the US, New Zealand and Canada for the next place to call home before finding a property in Napa.
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The land they purchased and built a home on had the qualities they were seeking, but it also came planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay grapes. Becoming grape growers was not part of the plan but for Zach, who had grown up in semi-rural Wisconsin, easing into the life of gentleman farmer was a natural transition.

They quickly formed friendships with other grape growers, including the beloved, late Steve Moulds and his wife Betsy. Steve encouraged Barbara and Zach to promote Napa Valley as often as possible. “When balloons landed at his house, he’d greet them with Champagne,” Barbara mentions, “Steve would say, ‘this is what people will remember about Napa Valley’.” Steve was a role model in other ways too, including his and Betsy’s dedication to giving back to the community.

As former owners of a small business, and now small growers, Barbara and Zach support the Napa Valley Grapegrowers because its efforts foster those types of small businesses. Barbara says, “The organization promotes camaraderie among growers; competitors are good about sharing information with each other.”
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Barbara and Zach are thoughtful about their philanthropy and target local organizations using three criteria: where a contribution will make a difference, where it is most deserved, and where it will be well spent.

Now as they begin to make another type of “exit plan,” they are relying on the same formula they used with their business, which is to build a good foundation, maintain success, and create a solid exit plan. Otherwise, Zach warns, “It’s like taking a beautiful ride on a horse only to fall off and ruin the dismount at the end.”

A decade after making Napa their home, Barbara says they wake up happy every day. Looking back, she says, “The best thing I ever did was give Zach my phone number in 1975 when he asked for it. It is all so fun. We feel blessed to live here.”

Wildfire Impact with Marjorie and Gordon Burns

Marjorie and Gordon Burns

​Following billions of dollars of losses to the wine industry stemming from wildfire smoke in 2020, we partnered with ETS Laboratories to study wildfire impact on wine grapes. The results of this study will set much needed benchmarks, to help prevent future economic catastrophe. This partnership has already generated the largest collection of baseline samples in the world, and the research will achieve greater understanding of how grapes interact with wildfire smoke to influence picking decisions and even insurance reform. It has been a ground-breaking effort, and we are grateful to Marjorie and Gordon Burns, founders and owners of ETS Laboratories for their dedication to it, and also for their long-time sponsorship of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers.

Marjorie and Gordon, recognize that the industry’s success is ETS’s success, which is why they are such staunch supporters of growers and producers. “As long as we focus on the needs of our clients and continue to provide education and put analysis into perspective, as well as deliver growth and dependability, ETS will be sustainable.”

This is no small feat in an industry that has evolved dramatically since ETS was formed in 1978 in Marjorie’s basement. In the ensuing 45 years, the couple has not only observed the wine industry grow and change, they’ve also been instrumental in its growth through innovation in analysis—on a global scale.

More recently, the Burns and their diverse staff, many of whom have worked at ETS for decades, embarked on the wildfire impact study. Still in a stage when academics are trying to identify the compounds that arise from smoke exposure, ETS has originated analysis to define the markers that measure the extent of exposure to wildfire smoke. The Burns investment of time and money on this project, was another action they took to support our industry—support that was reciprocated when ETS faced its own wildfire emergency.

In September 2020, as ETS began collecting the world’s largest library of wildfire-impact samples, the lab became the home for 15 or 16 fridges and freezers to hold the samples. And then the season’s second major fire erupted. St. Helena, where the samples were, faced evacuation, ETS staff couldn’t get to work, and the power became unreliable. Gordon mentioned to a client that the samples needed to be moved. The client’s reply was, “I got it.” That night, while fires were ravaging the surrounding hillsides, the same client returned to ETS with two 40-foot flatbed trucks and a crew. They moved everything and when the ordeal was over refused payment of any kind.

The Burns are clearly passionate about their work. And while the best wines may be made at the intersection of art and science, the best communities are where neighbors supporting neighbors reigns supreme.

​Architecture and Art with Suzanne Groth

Suzanne Groth

Architecture and Art with Suzanne Groth

When Judy and Dennis Groth left Santa Clara, once idyllic farmland that was slowly turning into urban sprawl, for Napa Valley it was a tough transition for Napa Valley Grapegrowers Board Director Suzanne Groth. As a teenager she wasn’t thrilled about moving to a former dairy farm. But later, as an adult there was no resisting the siren call of Oakville. In between Suzanne ventured away to study art and to paint before returning to Napa Valley. And after a couple of decades working for her parents, she took the helm as President and CEO of Groth Vineyards & Winery when her father retired in 2017. Today, her imprint on Groth, and the Oakville region, is as present as her striking paintings that grace the walls of the iconic winery. 
 
But ask Suzanne to tell you about her art, and she begins her story by talking about her mother, who passed away in 2021. Judy, similar to other women who moved to Napa Valley to build a winery with their husbands in the 1970s and 80s, was instrumental in the construction and design of Groth. Judy had a fascination with California’s missions, which influenced the winery’s architecture and its pastel peach shade. And it wasn’t just the silhouette and color that inspired Judy, she was also drawn to the fountains, the exposed beams, and the wide corridors of the missions—all which is evident from the moment you cross Groth’s threshold onto the richly hued Spanish tiles to when you peer down upon the profusion of wisteria that when in bloom turns the courtyard into a work of art. Judy managed those millions of details while raising three teenagers in a new place—one that she and her husband invested their entire savings in.
 
When Suzanne was young, it was Judy who put paints in her hand and later, when Suzanne gifted her mother one of her boldly colored paintings, Judy said, “I know what I’m going to do with this.” She transformed it into the announcement for the next Groth release party. It was a hit and every year afterward Suzanne was asked to paint a new one for that year’s event. Among Suzanne’s admirers were Denise DeBartolo York and John York, who commissioned her to paint three works of art for the Forty-Niners stadium in Santa Clara.
 
Today, Suzanne mostly paints for her own enjoyment--running the winery and being a mother, she doesn’t have time to pursue her talents on a commercial basis. When she does paint, it’s mostly watercolors and it’s mostly as an escape from the news or politics. It’s easy to imagine that those paintings are as captivating as her earlier vibrant work, so hopefully those watercolors will find their place on the walls of Groth sometime soon. 

History with Ren Harris

History with Ren Harris

Ask Ren Harris, Paradigm owner and U.S. history buff, what history he finds most interesting, and he’ll tell you his family’s…and he’s not kidding.

A True Californian
Six generations back on his father’s side, he counts among his relatives, José Carrillo who came to California as part of the Portolá expedition and was later married by Father Junipero Serra. Skip ahead a few generations to when California was teeming with Mexican land grants and you’ll learn that the great-granddaughter of José, Francisca Benicia married General Mariano Vallejo. Her sister would marry Ren’s great-great grandfather, also named Ren Harris, a Scot who was a land surveyor in Santa Barbara. The relatives on Ren’s mother’s side are equally intriguing with an Irish-born great-great-great grandfather who wrote the famous war song, When Johnny Comes Marching Home. And just two-generations back, Ren’s maternal grandfather Joseph McKenna worked with renowned horticulturist, John Mclaren on the development of Golden Gate Park, while his paternal grandfather patrolled the streets of San Francisco as a police officer—one who was captured in a famous Dorothea Lange photograph.
 
It Started with a Stamp
The oldest of five, Ren credits his father for piquing his interest in history through stamp collecting—each one had its own origins to study. By the time Ren was in high school he’d developed a deeper appreciation for history, and for mathematics—the latter would hold him in good stead throughout his life. It was in high school when he met his wife-to-be, Marilyn Pelissa, who had her own rich California history. Her family had established farming businesses 125 years ago, including a Yountville ranch that was purchased in 1936, where they moved after marrying and starting a family.
 
The Land of Sunshine and Grapes
About to participate in his 61st harvest, Ren recounts how in those early days of working on a 700-acre ranch it was like running a small town, with its orchards, dairy, and vineyards. He liked it enough to stay and soon he and Marilyn bought a 30-acre prune orchard that the prune orchard was converted to a vineyard and sold, enabling them to purchase the 55 acres across the highway in 1975 that would later become Paradigm. A natural statesman, Ren became involved in the area’s civic clubs, the Farm Bureau, and the formation of the Ag Preserve—all while selling real estate with Jean Phillips, who, like Ren, would later go on to establish her own winery.
 
Cultivating the Future
All of Ren’s work with these different groups prepared him for taking action on matters that would have a lasting impact. In 1969 he presented the idea of an insurance plan for farmworkers and their families—an act that helped shift a workforce from mostly transient to predominantly permanent. Six years later, as then-president of the Farm Bureau, Ren would create his greatest contribution to Napa Valley’s modern history—the formation of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. Ren along with a dozen other farmers gathered in his living room gave rise to the organization. Ren counts among his, and its successes, the work to establish the American Viticultural Appellation laws still adhered to today, and the efforts that led to the California Department of Agriculture’s Crush Report, which helped separate Napa Valley as a distinctive region. He adds with a sly smile, “I was the one who got the phone number, 944-8311, that’s still being used.”
 
There is no question that Napa Valley’s history is richer with Ren’s contributions. Summing up his experiences, he quotes a favorite Jimmy Buffet song, “Some of it’s magic, some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a good life along the way.”

Learn more about Ren in episode 10 of our Grown in Napa Valley podcast! And be on the lookout for special 50th anniversary highlights throughout the entire year on our social media pages and website. 

John Truchard, a cornerstone of the Napa Valley community​

John Truchard, a cornerstone of the Napa Valley community

John Anthony Truchard is a multifaceted grape grower, vintner, and community leader, celebrated for his innovative approach to the wine industry with John Anthony Wine & Spirits (JaM Cellars, John Anthony Vineyards, Serial Wines, Weather Wines, Johnny Tejas, and Hachidori Sake). Arriving in Napa Valley in the early ‘70s, John grew up immersed in the world of vineyards, learning the nuances of grape growing from his father Tony Truchard and legendary pioneers like Larry Hyde. His upbringing instilled a lifelong passion for winegrowing and winemaking, particularly for varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, which left a lasting impression on him.

John Anthony Vineyard’s Church Vineyard estate, located in the Carneros region of Napa, exemplifies John’s meticulous craftsmanship and vision. Leasing the 10-acre property since 2003, John has transformed this hidden-gem vineyard into a world class expression of Sauvignon Blanc, inspired by his passion for the craft and the vintners he has worked alongside.

Using a mix of Hyde Vineyard Musqué and clone one budwood, he has created a wine that balances richness and brightness. His commitment to quality is evident in his unique vineyard management practices, including extensive canopy work to ensure the flavors are clean and vibrant, avoiding overly herbaceous notes.

Beyond his winegrowing prowess, John is a key figure in the local community, bringing people together through wine and music. His creative endeavors at JaM Cellars make wine accessible and fun, fostering a space where artistry thrives. Whether it’s the vibrancy of his wines or the soulful energy of JaM Cellars Wine & Music Studio, John’s contributions resonate deeply, making him a beloved figure in Napa Valley’s evolving story.
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John exemplifies the collaborative spirit needed to navigate the complexities of modern winemaking. Whether it’s through his hands-on approach in the vineyard, his generosity in supporting local organizations, like the Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, or his forward-thinking tasting experiences, John has become a cornerstone of the Napa Valley community, inspiring others to raise a glass to resilience, creativity, and connection.

Learn more about John in episode 11 of our Grown in Napa Valley podcast! And be on the lookout for special 50th anniversary highlights throughout the entire year on our social media pages and website.