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Ann Colgin and Joe Wender |
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David Abreu and Ann using the extensive sorting system for the Colgin wines |
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Ann Colgin and Alain Raynaud |
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Ann Colgin, Vintner
As a vintner, an art collector and an avid philanthropist, Ann Barry Colgin is a renaissance woman with a playful and elegant personality that imbues everything she does with beauty and passion.
She is best known for her part in forging a world-renowned reputation for California's small production, hand-crafted red wines. Ann founded Colgin Cellars in 1992 with a vision of making the finest wines possible from exceptional hillside vineyards in the St. Helena area of Napa Valley. Today, Colgin Cellars is located in the Pritchard Hill area of St. Helena on the IX Estate, and produces four wines: Tychson Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Cariad Napa Valley Red Wine, IX Estate Napa Valley Red Wine and IX Estate Syrah. These highly sought-after wines are available only through mailing list and select restaurant lists. Wine connoisseur and critic Robert Parker considers IX Estate "as close to a viticultural nirvana as I've ever seen." (The Wine Advocate).
It should come as no surprise that the acclaimed vintner began her career in the world of fine art. Ann completed her M.A. at New York University, and was subsequently President of Fairchilds Fine Art, Inc. Wine, and Ann's desire to have a hand in its creation, eventually brought her to the Napa Valley. "My career in art hinged on knowing the best of the best. The rarity factor gave me an appreciation for top-quality, artisanal wines right away and it was only natural to want to share something really special with people who appreciate the painstaking process of creating an extraordinary wine," she says. Each of Colgin's wines has its own distinctive personality that reflects a careful hand that, much like a painter would, leaves room for the muse, for the grape and the earth and the vines to fully express themselves.
Ann serves as a consultant to Sotheby's Wine Department and volunteers her charm with a gavel at top charity auctions across the country. Her playful side is most evident behind the auction block, where Ann is known for cheerfully goading and flirting with bidders to garner larger donations.
To date, Ann's donations of rare verticals and large format bottles of Colgin wines to carefully chosen charities dedicated to health care, community services and the arts have helped to raise over $6 million. When Ann became a LACMA Trustee in 2008, she added a wine element to the annual Collectors Committee. In 2009 she enlisted help from Thomas Keller, Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton to join forces with other small California producers for an event which enabled the group to raise needed funds toward purchase of Matta's iconic 32-food-wide "Burn, Baby Burn" painting, in addition to four other very significant works for the museum's collections. Additional honors include: 2003 New York-Presbyterian Hospital first recipient of the "Ann Colgin Award for Corporate Philanthropy", 2006 Honoree for the NY City Opera Spring Gala, 2007 Naples Winter Wine Festival Honored Vintner, 2009 Honored Vintner of Nashville's L'ete du Vin and 2009 Honoree of the St. Helena Hospital Gala.
She shares her verve and zest for life with her husband, Joe Wender, whom she met at a Henri Jayer dinner at Spago in Los Angeles. The two also have an ownership interest in Camille Giroud in Burgundy. And despite busy travel schedules between California and France, and philanthropic commitments around the country, the couple hasn't checked a piece of luggage in nearly a decade. "Life," she says, "is far too short to wait at baggage claim." Ann smiles, and the room gets a little brighter.
Allison Tauziet, Winemaker
Colgin Cellars winemaker Allison Tauziet brings a legacy of success and winemaking talent from both her education and career path at some of Napa Valley's most esteemed producers. After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in Fermentation Science and French, her passion for wine led her to work as a harvest intern at Domaine Chandon. Her fluency in French, developed through 10 years of study, enabled her to move to France to spend time as an American Intern at the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux. Upon returning to the United States, she joined Far Niente winery as an Enologist. She later became Assistant Winemaker and remained at Far Niente for five years, where she was continuously inspired by the high level of expectations and passion of the late Gil Nickel.
Tauziet joined Colgin Cellars in 2005 as Assistant Winemaker/Estate Manager. "I jumped at the chance to join Colgin Cellars and participate in producing some of the world's most sought after wines," she says.
As Colgin's IX Estate comes into maturity, Tauziet's hands-on experience and knowledge of the Colgin vineyard practices and winemaking philosophy will be crucial in developing and sustaining the endless potential of the property. "Allison Tauziet is an extremely talented winemaker possessing an incredible attention for detail," says Colgin. "We've promoted her to maintain our focus making distinct wines from IX Estate, Tychson Hill Vineyard, Herb Lamb Vineyard and the Madrona Ranch Vineyard (for 'Cariad')."
Tauziet resides in Napa Valley with her husband Xavier, a native of Bordeaux. Allison and Xavier travel annually to Bordeaux.
David Abreu, Vineyard Manager
David Abreu is a third generation native of Napa Valley. He grew up in Rutherford where his parents were ranchers. In 1980 he founded David Abreu Vineyard Management. He focuses on vineyards in the Napa Valley from Oakville to Calistoga and is renowned for his knowledge of the terroirs of the area. He is the vineyard manager for the Tychson Hill Vineyard and IX Estate. David's vineyard workers remain constant from year to year, getting to know our properties intimately, and making informed decisions on pruning, canopy management and crop thinning. The signature of an Abreu vineyard is the meticulous care, which shows in the precise, even rows of perfectly maintained vines. He is a perfectionist.
Colgin purchases grapes from Abreu's Madrona Ranch Vineyard and Thorevilos Vineyards to create the blend for "Cariad."
Alain Raynaud, Enological Consultant
"Dr. Raynaud brings an exciting facet to our team," according to Ann Colgin. "His dedication to neo-classical winemaking techniques and attention to detail are the perfect compliment to Aubert and Abreu." Raynaud collaborates in the exchange of ideas and information to enhance the Colgin Cellars' line." I am greatly impressed with the wines Colgin is producing. This is a personal project I am deeply committed to and will be my only venture in the U.S." said Raynaud.
Raynaud's lineage in wine production dates back to the 15th century with his family winery in Bordeaux. He left the industry to pursue a career in medicine and returned in 1998 to craft some of the most sought after small production wines in Bordeaux, including La Fleur De Gay and La Croix De Gay in Pomerol and Chateau Quinault in St. Emillion. Raynaud supervises the production of Chateau Lascombes, Margaux in which Colgin and her husband, Joe Wender, are investors. From 1994-2000 Raynaud served as President of the Union Des Grands Crus De Bordeaux, representing top Bordeaux wines around the world.
Mark Kaigas, Assistant Winemaker and Estate Manager
Mark Kaigas brings extreme attention to detail and the undeniable passion of having a career one truly loves, to his position as Assistant Winemaker at Colgin Cellars.
A native of the East Bay area of San Francisco, Mark spent the early years of his adult life in suit and tie, as a senior-level financial analyst for several multi-billion dollar corporations. He and his wife Kathe, who had been equally disenchanted by her school administration career, shared a passion for wine and agriculture, and for "geeking out" on anything related to math, biology and chemistry. In 2005, they took a huge risk, and a leap of faith, by quitting their jobs and selling their dream home in San Diego to enroll in Fresno State University's Enology program. "I changed careers because I wanted something more tangible, and I was tired of working 10 hours a day under florescent lights," he says. Trading in their corporate lives for a chance to get their hands dirty, they became very active in the school's winery, and were trusted with producing over 50 small-lot wines from experimental grapes grown on the campus vineyard, through an intense project led by Professor Sanliang Gu.
Upon graduation, Mark took the opportunity to work at several different wineries, including that as Harvest Intern at Colgin Cellars. He then spent time in Paso Robles as a lab analyst at Castoro Cellars, and also worked at New Zealand's Delegat's Wine Estate.
Mark joined Colgin Cellars full time in 2009, in the cellar as Production Assistant. He was promoted to Assistant Winemaker in the summer of 2011 and continues to work closely with Winemaker Allison Tauziet and Vineyard Manager David Abreu to adhere to Ann Colgin's extraordinary standards for excellence in all aspects of the winemaking process. "So few producers are able to reach the full potential of their vineyards—it is really an amazing thing to work at Colgin Cellars and see a magical wine come from vineyard to fruition," he says.
In his free time, Mark loves to garden, play with his Boston terrier, Charlie, and is an avid member of the St. Helena Bocce Ball League.
Beverly Wiles Shotwell, Business and Sales Manager
Since joining Colgin Cellars in 1997, Beverly Wiles Shotwell has become an integral part of the Colgin team. As business manager and sales consultant she works closely with Ann Colgin on their exclusive mailing list, distribution and is the liaison to Colgin's restaurant clients.
Prior to coming to Colgin, Beverly was an actress and writer in Los Angeles. In addition to television roles opposite Thomas Hayden Church and Debra Messing, she wrote and acted in numerous one-woman shows for the theatre. Beverly is currently a board member of Napa Valley Players Theatre in Napa and continues to write and perform. Her husband Joe is a successful local musician, and the two of them take great pride as leaders in the area's burgeoning performing arts scene.
Beverly is engaged with a variety of local causes and donates her time to Save the SF Bay, Planned Parenthood, Napa Valley Grapegrowers and The Pathway Home. She also allocates time to the promotion of downtown Napa businesses and the historical preservation of the City of Napa.
Beverly is continually amazed by Ann Colgin and Joe Wender's boundless energy. "The wine industry is one of the most exciting and rewarding careers on the planet and combining that with living in Napa Valley is equal to winning the lottery of life," she says. She has completed the WSET intermediate course and has studied sensory development at UC Davis and UC Berkeley. Beverly continues to take wine tasting courses as she has for the last 15 years, and dutifully commits to the arduous task of drinking wine every day.
When she is not busy with her wine pursuits, volunteerism or hiking with her 100-pound American Lab, Sir Duke , Beverly and her husband enjoy spending countless hours painstakingly restoring their 1885 Victorian farmhouse.
Sarah Judkins, Hospitality and Public Relations Director
An affinity for food and wine led Colgin Cellars Hospitality and Public Relations Director, Sarah Judkins, on an epicurean odyssey across the United States. Beginning first in her native St. Louis and culminating in the Napa Valley at Colgin Cellars, Sarah coordinates private tastings and events at the winery and manages Colgin Cellars' charity donations.
Her interest in all things culinary was sparked at Tony's restaurant in St. Louis, where, as manager of VIP and private events, Sarah ensured personalized care and attention for special guests at the restaurant under the direction of Chef Vince Bommarito. "Tableside service was a large part of the Tony's philosophy, and it really brought home how essential genuine care for the customer's individual needs are to building and maintaining relationships," she says.
From St. Louis, Sarah moved to Dallas, Texas to work as the Food & Beverage Guest Services Manager for at the Mansion at Turtle Creek. Working under Chef Dean Fearing, Sarah helped to maintain the Mansion's meticulously-detailed customer database and oversaw many of the culinary events at the restaurant. Her increasing passion for food and wine soon brought her to Auberge du Soleil in the Napa Valley. The Auberge Chef at the time, Richard Reddington, introduced Sarah to Ann Colgin and Joe Wender. Her knack for customer service and her intimate knowledge of luxury-level hospitality was immediately apparent to Ann and Joe, and they drafted her to work at Colgin Cellars.
Sarah is an avid runner and snowboarder. She dabbles in mosaic artwork, and while she's proud of her Midwestern roots, is glad to live among the vines of Napa Valley within close distance to Lake Tahoe, one of her favorite snowboarding destinations.
Annie Pilotti, Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant Annie Pilotti is thrilled to be a part of the Colgin Cellars team. Having worked in the restaurant business for several years, she is pleased to join a winery that while small, is very detail-oriented.
Born and raised in the Napa Valley, Annie is no stranger to the wine business. "Many of my friends at Vintage High School came from winemaking families, so coming back to the area, and into wine, was a natural evolution for me," she adds. Upon graduating from San Francisco State University in 2006, with a degree in psychology, Annie returned to her home town and worked for some of Napa's most beloved restaurants—Zuzu and Bistro Don Giovanni. Most recently she worked at Frog's Leap Winery as an executive assistant, handling special events, while also providing administrative support for the CEO and general manager.
At Colgin Cellars, Annie provides executive support for Ann Colgin and Joe Wender and also assists in special tastings as well as the annual allocation offering from Colgin Cellars.
In her free time she loves cooking for and having meals with friends and family. "We're so lucky here in the Napa Valley that we have such a bounty of clean, sustainable and local food," she says. An avid runner, she also loves to exercise and stay fit.
Jesus Pena, Vineyard Foreman
Jesus Pena was born in Atacheo, a small village in the Michoacan area of Mexico. He came to the United States in 1975. In 1983 he moved to the Napa Valley and began working for John Kongsgaard at Newton Winery, where he split his time working in both the vineyard and the cellar. In 1988 he began working for David Abreu in some of the most prestigious vineyards in Napa Valley, and it wasn't long before he was promoted to be the Foreman at David's own Madrona Ranch Vineyard. After years of experience at that site, David recommended Jesus to be Colgin's Vineyard Foreman in 2000. From the first day we began development of our IX Estate vineyard, Jesus has overseen every level of detail of the day to day management under the guidance of David. Jesus' collaboration on a daily basis with our winemaker, Allison Tauziet, ensures that our grape growing and winemaking are perfectly intertwined. In our eyes, Jesus has raised the level of standard for all vineyards in the Napa Valley. He has an undeniable can-do attitude and an amazing attention to detail. He is hardworking, committed, and a true "salt of the earth" person. He has enjoyed being in the outdoors ever since he was a child, and he says that working out in the vineyards each day comes naturally.
Jesus has two daughters: Elizabeth who lives in Napa, and Laura, who lives in Texas and recently returned from a mission in Iraq. While the vines are dormant in the winter, he enjoys travelling to visit his sisters in Nuevo Laredo, Texas and Querataro, Mexico.
Label design by Tracey Shiffman, Santa Monica, California
Photos provided by Mark Hanauer and Bruce Shippee,
Barry Grimes/AD Design Company, The Robb Report and Misti Layne
Website and E-commerce by GreatVines Wine Sales Management
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Ann Colgin during vineyard development at IX Estate |
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Joe Wender and David Abreu |
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