Virginia Wine Country is renowned for the wonderful variety of wines produced from the over 300 wineries in Virginia. Behind each harvest and carefully cultivated final product, there is a genius winemaker. The winemakers yield from across the globe, and came to Virginia to be apart of one of the largest, and highly prestigious, viticultures in the country. Meet the winemakers who provide Virginia with amazing wines.
Luca Paschina
Barboursville Vineyards
(Barboursville)
Italy native, and third generation winemaker, Luca Paschina came to Virginia in 1990 to be the resident winemaker at Barboursville Vineyards. Since then, Barboursville has won five Governor’s Cups, and the vineyard has won over 2000 awards with Paschina’s insight. Paschina also assisted in the establishment of Palladio Restaurant that sits on the grounds. Palladio pays homage to the vineyards’ Italian heritage and serves traditional European dishes. With inspiration from his hometown, and his love for viticulture, Paschina is a prestigious and award winning winemaker. He may even be seen in the kitchen, dabbling in culinary endeavors.
Lee Hartman
Bluestone Vineyard
(Bridgewater)
Lee Hartman, a Virginia native, began his endeavor into Virginia’s viticulture at the age of 23, after he graduated from Eastern Mennonite University. Hartman joined Virginia’s wine industry through the family business. He assisted in the establishment of Bluestone Vineyards, his parents’ vineyard. Today, he is the winemaker and alongside general manager at Bluestone. Hartman is an award winning winemaker, as his creations have won gold numerous times in the Governor’s Cup.
Melanie Natoli
Cana Vineyards and Winery of Middleburg
(Middleburg)
Melanie Natoli retired from her former career as a physical therapist to fulfill her dream to be a winemaker. She became an intern at Fabbioli Cellars in 2009 and quickly earned the promotion to assistant winemaker alongside Doug Fabbioli. In 2015, Natoli joined the team at Cana Vineyards and Winery as winemaker and vineyard manager. In 2022 Natoli became the first woman to win the Virginia Governor’s Cup since its 2012 overhaul, and was named winemaker of the year in 2022 at the Loudoun Wine Awards. Natoli took the risk to leave her stable career in healthcare, and succeeded.
Claude Thibaut
Thibaut-Janisson Winery
(Waynesboro)
Claude Thibaut is a world-wide winemaker. After earning a National Diploma of Oenology in Winemaking at Universite de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Thibaut traveled the world making wine. His work took him to France, Australia, and California before he settled in Virginia in 2003. He joined Kluge Winery as the winemaker in 2003, and was there for two seasons. In 2005, he established Thibaut-Janisson Winery as a co-owner, where he still resides today. His sparkling wines are highly anticipated, and received critical acclaim as “best of the best” in the 1995 Australia and New Zealand wine guide.
Caitlin Horton
Horton Vineyards
(Gordonsville)
Caitlin Horton is a third generation winemaker at Horton Vineyards. She works with Sharon Horton, her grandmother, and continues the lineage of winemakers starting with her grandparents. She earned a certificate in winemaking from Cornell University in 2022, and then was named head winemaker at Horton Vineyards shortly after. Horton is the youngest head winemaker in Virginia’s history, and is leading the way with new and innovative approaches to winemaking.
Stephen Barnard
Keswick Vineyards and Winery
(Keswick)
Stephen Barnard, a native of South Africa, came to Virginia in 2002 as head winemaker at Keswick Vineyards. Barnard studied oenology and viticulture at Elsenburg Agricultural Training Institute. He won the coveted Governor’s Cup in 2016, and is the president of the Monticello Wine Trail. After over 20 years at Keswick, Barnard took a brief sabbatical before returning in 2024.
Emily Hodson
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
(Afton)
Emily Hodson followed her parents to Virginia in 1999, where she fell in love with Virginia’s viticulture. Hodson, born and raised in Florida, completed her MS in Food Science at Virginia Tech in 2003. She then went on to work alongside her father at Veritas Vineyards. She assisted in the initial establishment of the vineyard, and is now the resident winemaker. She is an award winning winemaker, with five gold medals at the 2021 Virginia Governor’s Cup alone.
Benoit Pineau
Pollak Vineyards
(Greenwood)
Benoit Pineau began his hand in viticulture in Australia, after studying at many prestigious institutions in his home country of France, including LEGTA Bordeaux Blanquefort, Chalons sur Saone, and ARGO Toulouse. He traveled around the world, advancing his knowledge of winemaking, before settling in Virginia in 2005. He took numerous jobs in the DMV area before taking the position of wine grower at Stone Tower Winery for two years. He is now the resident winemaker at Pollak Vineyards.
Maya Hood White
Early Mountain Vineyards
(Madison)
Maya Hood White fell in love with Virginia viticulture while earning a degree in mathematics from Virginia Tech. After a quick career in engineering, White decided to return to her home state of California to receive a MS degree in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California, Davis. White returned to Virginia and became winemaker at Early Mountain Vineyards in 2022. White’s signature is bubbly wine, and she is a published author in the viticulture community.
Carl DiManno
868 Estate Vineyards
(Purcellville)
Carl DiManno is the former executive winemaker, and founder, at 868 Estate Vineyards. After receiving a Bachelors of Science in chemical engineering from Tufts University and a M.B.A. from Tulane University, DiManno turned to enology in 2001. He earned his masters in enology at the University of California, Davis in 2003. Before moving to Virginia in 2011, DiManno interned at Artesa Winery & Vineyards in Napa, California. Additionally, DiManno was a founding member of Winesecrets, which is a technology company that advises on wine improvement. DiManno’s background in STEM allows him the leg up in winemaking.
Doug Fabbioli
Fabbioli Cellars
(Leesburg)
Doug Fabbioli, or the “Godfather of Loudoun wine” opened Fabbioli Cellars in 2001 after his hobby of winemaking became his career. A New York Native, Fabbioli went to school for systems management. However, he switched paths and began as a wine consultant in 2000. He then materialized his passion for winemaking into his renowned estate, Fabbioli Cellars. He has mentored countless Virginia winemakers and set the tone for viticulture in Loudoun county. In 2016, he was named Winemaker of the Year at the Loudoun Wine Awards.
Kirsty Harmon
Blenheim Vineyard
(Charlottesville)
Kirsty Harmon grew up in Charlottesville and graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in biology. After interning under Gabriele Rausse, she earned a MS in viticulture and oenology at the University of California, Davis. Afterwards, she spent six months at Domaine Faively in Nuits St. George, France. From there, she moved to New Zealand to work as the harvest intern at Craggy Range Winery. Finally, in 2008, Blenheim Vineyards brought her home to be the resident winemaker.
Matthieu Finot
King Family Vineyard
(Crozet)
Matthieu Finot is the resident winemaker at King Family Vineyards. After receiving a Btsa in viticulture and enology from Cfppa Beaune in his home country of France, Finot worked in Italy and South Africa before ultimately settling in Virginia in 2003. He began his American career as a winemaker at Afton Mountain Vineyards. He is a consultant for numerous Virginia wineries, as well as Domaine Font in France. From Afton Mountains, he transferred to King Family Vineyards in 2007, where he is a Governor’s Cup Recipient.
Nathan Vrooman
Ankida Ridge Vineyards
(Amherst)
Nathan Vrooman joined viticulture in 2009 to work in the family business. He works alongside his parents at Ankida Ridge Vineyards, where he is the resident winemaker. His skills in viticulture did not come from an institute, but instead learned from his experience. Vrooman worked under Matthieu Finot, who taught him abundantly about the practice, but also enrolled in a few classes at PVCC. In addition to his parents, he works alongside his wife, Rachel Vrooman.
Gabriele Rausse
Gabriele Rausse Winery
(Charlottesville)
Gabriele Rausse is “The Father of the Modern Virginia Wine Industry”. An Italy native, Rausse came to Virginia in the 70’s to work under the Zonin family at Barboursville Vineyards. From there, he assisted in numerous establishments, such as Jefferson Vineyards in 1981, and played his hand in consulting. In 1997, Rausse opened his own winery in 1997: Gabriele Rausse Winery. Positioned below his own home, his family grew up working and living on the vineyard. Now, he is the associate director of gardens and grounds at Thomas Jeffersons’ Monticello.
Jim Law
Linden Vineyards
(Linden)
Jim Law’s love of viticulture sent him to Congo to teach agriculture as a peace corps volunteer. He learned his craft while studying in Europe, and in 1981 he landed at a winery in the Shenandoah Valley. While employed there, Law was inspired by the land and the area of the Shenandoah to establish his own vineyard. Four years later, Law planted eight acres of vines and thus Linden Vineyards was born. He still spends most of his time in the vineyard, as his passion for winemaking only grows with time.
Joshua Grainer
RdV Vineyards
(Delaplane)
Joshua Grainer earned his Masters of Wine earlier this year, but found his love of wine much earlier. While traveling through Italy in his 20’s, Grainer fell in love with viticulture. He developed his skills in the United States, France, and Australia before planting himself in Virginia in 2008 at RdV Vineyards. Grainer works alongside Rutger de Vink to create a leading wine in Virginia.
Michael Shaps
Michael Shaps Wineworks
(Charlottesville)
Michael Shaps studied at Lycee Viticole de Beaune in France, and moved to Virginia in 1995 to work at Jefferson Vineyards as head winemaker and general manager. After six sessions at Jefferson Vineyards, Shaps left to create his own label. Initially, he partnered with King Family Vineyards, but in 2004 he left and partnered with an old mentor and headwine maker at Maison Charton et Trebuchet. In 2007, he moved his base from King Family Vineyards to Virginia Wineworks, which he opened alongside a partner. In 2014, he bought out the partner and now solely owns Virginia Wineworks. He continues to consult and provide wineries with his Governor’s Cup accredited wine.
Jonathan Wheeler
Trump Winery
(Charlottesville)
Jonathan Wheeler is a native New Yorker making wine down in Virginia. Wheeler holds a B.A. in chemistry from the State University of New York at Oswego and mastered his craft from working in Sonoma, Monterey, Marlborough, New Zealand, and his home region of the Finger Lakes. He came to Virginia in 2006 to be winemaker and general manager of Trump Winery. He is additionally a member of the winemaker’s research exchange in Virginia.
If you want to learn more about Virginia’s winemakers and award-winning wines, you can find more at Virginia Wine and Country Life. Virginia’s Wine Country is home to hundreds of wineries and amazing winemakers. Explore more about Virginia’s wineries with Virginia Wine & Country Life’s Food & Drink section. You can check the events calendar for wine-tastings and events hosted by Virginia winemakers.
JENNIFER BRYERTON is Co-Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Wine & Country Life. She is an avid gardener, home cook and wine-taster. She enjoys learning about Virginia viticulture and sharing the story of our local farm-to-table makers.
R. L. JOHNSON is our Co-Publisher and Creative Director. Bethke studied at the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design and began her career as a professional photographer in Los Angeles. She moved into graphic design and art direction when she relocated to Charlottesville in 1994. As our company’s co-founder and visionary, she enjoys all aspects of storytelling.
