Natalie Wang

Founder & Editor, Vino Joy

Natalie Wang is a Hong Kong-based wine journalist who has worked and reported on Asia especially China's wine market for more than five years. She recently founded www.vino-joy.com, the only English website dedicated to cover the expanding and complex wine industry in China and rest of Asia. Her reporting on the region’s drinks industry led her to win Young Communicator of the Year Award by Cathay Pacific International Wine & Spirits Awards in 2017. Aside from wine journalism, Wang consults wineries on Chinese social media marketing strategy.

Sara Fowler

Winemaker, PEJU

Sara Fowler joined the Peju team as Winemaker in 2006. Sara grew up helping her family plant wine grapes on their 400-acre organic ranch. She worked as a seasonal member of the Kendall-Jackson Winery staff during high school and college and as the Enologist Assistant at Kendall-Jackson during crush. Her time at Kendall-Jackson helped her decide that she wanted to be a winemaker. Upon completion of the winemaking program at Fresno State University, Sara worked as the Associate Winemaker at Franciscan and Mt. Veeder Winery for seven years.

In 2002, Sara traveled to Chile to work a harvest season with Veramonte. In 2007, Sara helped Peju gain organic certification in the Rutherford Vineyard. Sara was voted “Best Local Winemaker” in Napa Valley Life magazine in both 2016, 2017 and 2018. She is a strong member of the wine community, and resides in St. Helena.

Richie Allen

VP of Winemaking and Viticulture, Rombauer Vineyards

Though he grew up near one of the most famous wine regions of Australia, it was an afternoon spent tasting wine in California that provided Richie’s “aha” moment, steering him into a career in wine. After graduating from the University of Adelaide and gaining practical experience making wine in Australia and New Zealand, Richie returned to California in 2004 to take up a harvest position at Rombauer. Recognizing his talent and drive, we hired Richie full time. He subsequently worked his way up from enologist to assistant winemaker to head winemaker, and he was named Director of Viticulture and Winemaking in 2013.

Matt Johnson

Winemaker, Brand Napa Valley

A few months into his studies in Agribusiness at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Matt was introduced to the world of wine by his new roommate. This chance encounter lead to a deep interest in and passion for winemaking. After changing his major and obtaining a B.S. in Wine and Viticulture, Matt embarked on a winemaking career that took him to Argentina, South Africa, Edna Valley and ultimately Napa Valley. Matt became Associate Winemaker at Dana Estate where he worked alongside Philippe Melka. Matt is dedicated to crafting the distinct site- driven wines of our Pritchard Hill estate with acute attention to detail, boundless curiosity and joyful enthusiasm.

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