Pedigreed Rutherford Cabernet House Expands Global Trade Presence and Strategic Collaborations
November 20, 2025 (Rutherford, CA) — Bella Oaks, the historic Rutherford estate founded by vintner, cultural preservationist, and arts advocate Suzanne Deal Booth, today announced the appointment of Jillian Riley as Director of Trade Sales & Strategic Partnerships. In this new leadership role reporting to General Manager Shae Kinsman, Riley will guide the winery’s global trade footprint, strengthen key market relationships, and cultivate strategic partnerships that reinforce Bella Oaks’ legacy as one of Napa Valley’s most culturally significant and site-driven wine estates.
Riley joins Bella Oaks with more than a decade of experience in hospitality, private client services, and trade-focused wine expertise. Most recently, she served as Director of Operations for K. Laz Wine Collection, where she managed private client relationships and curated personalized collector experiences, working with some of Napa Valley’s most discerning buyers. Previously, Riley held influential leadership roles shaping prominent wine programs at some of the country’s top luxury hotels and restaurants, including positions as Wine Director at Meadowood Napa Valley and as Wine Director and Assistant General Manager at NoMI at the Park Hyatt Chicago. In these roles, she developed and led award-winning wine lists, trained hospitality teams, and fostered strong relationships across on-premise and distribution channels in multiple U.S. markets.
In her new role, Riley will lead domestic and international trade outreach, opening and supporting key accounts, strengthening distributor relationships, and expanding Bella Oaks’ strategic partnerships. Her work will advance the estate’s mission to build a brand position reflective of its profound cultural heritage, its reputation for producing singular estate Cabernet Sauvignons, and its vision for integrating art, wine, community, and culture into an immersive estate experience.
“Jillian brings a rare combination of hospitality intuition, trade expertise, and deep understanding of collector and on-premise markets,” said Shae Kinsman, General Manager of Bella Oaks. “Her experience curating exceptional guest and client relationships, combined with her perspective on national and international trade trends, makes her the ideal leader to champion Bella Oaks in the world’s most important markets.”
Riley holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University.
ABOUT BELLA OAKS
Bella Oaks is a new wine estate almost five decades in the making, a project that combines one of Napa Valley’s most historic and revered vineyards with the dedication to cultural heritage projects that characterizes the vision of proprietor and cultural preservation advocate Suzanne Deal Booth. The Bella Oaks vineyard is legendary, with a legacy for producing some of Napa Valley’s earliest single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. Recognizing both its history and untapped potential, Deal Booth, who acquired Bella Oaks in 2010, has given this storied vineyard a voice of its own with a team that includes Vineyard Manager David Abreu, Winemaker Nigel Kinsman, and Master Blender Michel Rolland. The estate produces two wines, the Bella Oaks Proprietary Red and Le Génie, a Cabernet Sauvignon. For more information, please visit www.bellaoaks.com.
