How young winemakers in Napa are thinking about their careers

Napa Valley is the centre of American fine wine culture, its reputation now so firmly established that its place in the national hierarchy is rarely questioned. Its best Cabernet Sauvignon commands global attention, and now trades off decades worth of hard earned pedigree. While the region’s relative maturity and commercial success brings recognition to those that make wine here, there is also pressure. For young winemakers, the challenge of proving Napa’s potential has long expired; putting down its next chapter is what they must grapple with, and they must do so within a landscape defined by high land values, corporate structures, consumers informed to the point of scepticism, and of course, an unpredictable and rapidly changing growing environment.

Winemakers such as Adam Casto (Ehlers Estate), Angelina Mondavi (Charles Krug) and Ryan Knoth (Joseph Phelps) are contemplating the next two or three decades of work knowing that matching the achievements of their forbears can't be the goal. Rather, they are seeking to produce their own repertoire of legendary wines that will not only stand the test of time but also carry the torch for the next generation. Yet that is easier said than done. This is the big league, with big investments and big egos demanding big results. How do you carry the weight of expectation while still pushing boundaries?