Hepworth, who crafted critically celebrated wines for Joseph Phelps Vineyards, introduces wide-ranging consulting service
ST. HELENA, California (April 4, 2023) – Ashley Hepworth, former winemaker at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, has launched Ashley Hepworth Wine Consulting, focused on helping winery teams elevate their winemaking capabilities.
Hepworth, who was with Joseph Phelps Vineyards for a total of 24 years – and led the team as winemaker for 15 years – crafted more than 100 critically-acclaimed wines, including the brand’s iconic flagship wine “Insignia.” Wineries seeking to elevate their techniques and operations can now tap into Ashley’s vast expertise. A trusted advisor and industry leader, Ashley’s consultancy offers a diverse range of services including:
- Vineyard Evaluation & Sourcing
- Harvest Best Practices
- Blending
- Optimal Cellar & Production Practices
- Bottling & Logistics Management
“I have dedicated my career to advancing winemaking practices to achieve the highest quality wines,” said Ashley Hepworth, founder of Ashley Hepworth Wine Consulting. “At Joseph Phelps Vineyards, I established critical quality control protocols, and a robust list of requirements for vendors to ensure we were using the very best resources to produce award-winning wines. I am excited to leverage this expertise to support independent brands and wineries in advancing their production quality.”
During her tenure at Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Ashley worked with several great winemakers, including the winery’s founder and visionary, Joe Phelps. Ashley’s approach to winemaking is simple, letting the vineyards and vintages speak for themselves to achieve quality and purity of fruit.
At Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Ashley worked her way up from Intern to Cellar Lab Technician, Enologist, Associate Winemaker, and then Winemaker, where she led the team in producing award-winning blends, and critically acclaimed wines for 15 years. The positions she has held throughout her career give her unique insight into all facets of crafting internationally recognized wines. She has been recognized throughout Napa Valley as a thought leader, advancing the production and quality of wine, and her new endeavor is being met with great enthusiasm and support from colleagues throughout the industry.
“Ashley Hepworth has been an icon in the Napa Valley, producing incredible wines year in and year out. Her passion for winemaking has always inspired others, including me. Her energy is contagious and her knowledge immense,” said Elias Fernandez, Winemaker for Shafer Vineyards.
Winemaker and Proprietor Sarah Gott of Joel Gott Wines added, “Ashley’s passion for winemaking is unparalleled, and her expertise and dedication are truly impressive. I had the honor of working with Ashley for several years. Her attention to detail and commitment to quality make her the perfect consulting winemaker.”
Ashley also works with her husband, Greg Scheinfeld, the founder of Uproot, and plans to launch her own label later this year. Ashley and Greg live in St. Helena and have two children. A native of Colorado, Ashley enjoys hiking, mountain biking and skiing – and discovered her love of wine while working as a chef at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago. In addition to holding a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry from Fort Lewis College, Ashley also received her Winemaking Certificate from the Viticulture and Enology Department at the University of California at Davis and worked the 2005 harvest at Château Angélus – ranked Premier grand cru classé (A) in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. She is also a member of several professional organizations including the Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Valley Wine Tech, and Women for Wine Sense.
For more information about Ashley Hepworth Wine Consulting, please visit www.ahwineco.com.
About Ashley Hepworth Wine Consulting
Ashley Hepworth Wine Consulting (AHWC) is an independent winemaking advisory firm based in the Napa Valley town of St. Helena. The consultancy is dedicated to helping brands refine and enhance their techniques, while elevating the quality of their wines. Led by award-winning winemaker, Ashley Hepworth, who served as the winemaker at Joseph Phelps for 15 years, AHWC offers a range of services across the winemaking lifecycle from grape to bottle to production strategy, fermentation and blending advisement.
