The Winemaker

Anne Vawter loves horses and wine. Growing up on a farm in Walla Walla, Washington, Anne
developed a deep appreciation for agriculture from her father, and inherited his love of wine. He introduced her to wine through tastings of Leonetti, L’Ecole No. 41, and other wines from that region. After graduating from University of California, Davis with a B.S. degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2002, she worked in wineries in Washington, California, and for an extended harvest season in Chile as the crew boss for Caliterra. Her arrival in Napa brought her to Paradigm Winery in Oakville, where she became Heidi Barrett’s assistant for four years. Anne credits much of her own winemaking style to that period, but continues to challenge and test her palate. She frequently travels to both old and new winemaking regions in her quest for more knowledge.

Anne began as Hoopes Vineyard’s winemaker with the 2012 vintage. “I love working with the fruit from Oakville. It’s my viticultural solar plexus. I have made wine up and down the Napa Valley, but no other appellation is as exciting to me as Oakville. My overall philosophy is ‘work with great fruit!’,” said Anne. She looks forward to continuing to work for Spencer Hoopes and his daughter, Lindsay Hoopes, the proprietors of Hoopes Family Vineyards, because of their commitment to the historical significance of their vineyards. Lindsay and Anne both grew up on farms, and they share the same vision of vineyard-focused winemaking.

In addition to wine, Anne also nurtures her love for horses by managing Blossom Creek Farm, a horse farm in Calistoga. She lives on the property with her husband, Cameron Vawter, and their two children, a dog and a cat. Along with horses, they also raise chickens and keep a beehive. Anne is the winemaker for both the Hoopes and Liparita wine brands.