Brian & Miki Cunat
FOUNDERS
Brian Cunat developed an interest and respect for agriculture and farming that has grown into a life's passion. Miki’s father, Yasuo Obata, owned a European-influenced restaurant near Sendai where he imported his own French and German wines. This exposed Brian and Miki to fine wines and pairing them with delicious foods. In 2007, Brian and Miki decided to purchase a 50-acre property in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. Working with an expert team of vineyard managers and winemakers, the property was completely transformed and replanted to new grape varieties. A new winery and tasting room was completed in 2015 offering state of the art winemaking and the best hospitality.
Chesea Barrett
DIRECTOR OF WINEMAKING
Chelsea Barrett grew up among winemakers. Her mother, Heidi, is considered one of the world’s best – she was the founding winemaker at Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle among others. Chelsea herself grew up working for the family – in the Chateau Montelena cellar and vineyard – from a young age. She was drawn into pursuing winemaking from a love of food, chemistry, and art. She attended the University of California Davis and graduated in 2010 with a degree in Viticulture and Enology.