Napa, CA August 2, 2022 – As harvest kicks off in Napa this week, Domaine Carneros Winery is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Rowe, seasoned viticultural expert with over a decade of impressive positions within the California wine industry, to the position of Vineyard Manager. Succeeding Alberto Zamora, who is retiring after a 40-year career in the wine industry, ten of which were spent transforming the vineyards at Domaine Carneros, Rowe states that his new position is a viticulturist’s dream. “With 400 acres in the Carneros AVA encompassing a diversity of clones and rootstocks, the estate vineyards are like a living laboratory,” he notes. Rowe looks forward to working with the winemaking team to nuance the different clonal expressions in the wines. “The opportunity to manage six estate vineyards all within a few miles of the winery, which Alberto and the winery’s dedicated team have cultivated with care and nurturing, is a labor of love and an incredible opportunity to go deep with my knowledge base.”
During Zamora’s tenure, he was instrumental in the acquisition of the Tula Vista (2012) and Las Amigas (2016) vineyards, and he also replanted 50% of the winery’s vineyard holdings. Of retiring, he stated “I’m leaving the vineyards in a better, more sustainable place. I worked hard to achieve Napa Green, Fish Friendly Farming, and California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing certifications.”
Rowe joins a team, under the leadership of CEO Remi Cohen, that is dedicated not only to sound environmental practices, but also to employee engagement and development. Of the new position, he shared that the dedicated vineyard team will allow him to nurture the career goals of the individuals who make up the crew. This aligns with the prevailing philosophy held by CEO Cohen and her management team which is to support, mentor, and cultivate from within the company. Commenting on Rowe’s hire, she stated “We benefited so much from the contributions of Alberto over the past decade, and as we look ahead, Tim is the ideal fit to take us into the future, building on a superb foundation.”
Prior to Domaine Carneros, Rowe, a native Kansan who graduated with an agricultural degree from the University of Missouri, worked with the vineyard management team run by Kirk Grace at the famed Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in the Napa Valley. Following that, he expanded his knowledge of California AVAs working for LVMH, focusing on the 2,000 acres of vineyards for the Domaine Chandon and Newton brands. Next, joining the innovative Monarch Tractor team as its tenth employee working to introduce the world’s first electric self-driving tractor brought Rowe into the future of farming. His well-rounded experience dovetails with the forward-thinking mentality of the team at Domaine Carneros. Of joining the team, he stated “I was always impressed by the iconic nature of this winery, and its reputation for producing among the best domestic sparkling wines preceded it. I look forward to taking the vineyards to the next level in quality and best practices.”
ABOUT DOMAINE CARNEROS
Founded in 1987, Domaine Carneros reflects the hallmark of its founder, Champagne Taittinger, in creating terroir-driven sparkling wine and preserving the quality tenets of the traditional method production. Located entirely within the Carneros AVA, between Napa and Sonoma counties, the six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted to Chardonnay, 225 acres planted to Pinot Noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines and limited production Pinot Noirs.
Domaine Carneros’ château has become a landmark and symbol of the region. The architecture and interior design were inspired by the 18th century Château de la Marquetterie, the historic Taittinger family residence in the Champagne region. Visitors to the chateau enjoy seated tastings of methode traditionelle sparkling wines and small-lot pinot noir in the elegant Jardin d’Hiver or on the broad terrace overlooking the rolling vineyards of Carneros. Domaine Carneros limited production wines are available onsite, via ecommerce, and are distributed nationally by Kobrand Corporation which, founded in 1944, remains one of the few family-owned wine and spirits companies in the United States.
The winery places a high value on preserving the environment and has taken on a vast array of environmental efforts. The roof of the pinot noir winery adjacent to the château hosts a solar array that was the largest on any winery in the world when it was installed and continues to be expanded with a state-of-the-art microgrid launching in 2022. The most recent award, one of many from federal, state and local government; was the California Green Medal for Domaine Carneros’ demonstration of “Smart Business through efficiencies, cost savings and innovation from implementing sustainable practices.”
