Emma Swain, president of St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Scholz to winemaker of the family-owned, estate winery located in the Napa Valley. (www.stsupery.com) Scholz is not a newcomer to the Napa Valley or St. Supéry. Next month, he returns to St. Supéry after serving as the winery’s winemaker from 1996 to 2001. During his tenure, he created the distinctive style that made St. Supéry a benchmark producer of Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. The Cabernet Sauvignons Scholz created for St. Supéry also garnered acclaim with five Cabernets securing 90 point scores and higher from Wine Spectator, a leading authority on wine. Scholz’s credentials include accolades from some of the most esteemed experts in the industry. Oenologist and consultant Michel Rolland, with whom Scholz worked at St. Supéry, says, “Michael Scholz is on my list of great winemakers from around the world.” “It’s not often you get the opportunity to bring back a winemaker who had such a profound impact on your winery’s success,” said Swain. “When you open a bottle of our Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, you can smell and taste Michael’s legacy. So, when looking for a winemaker who could retain our leadership in Sauvignon Blanc and take our red wines to an even greater level, Michael became a natural choice. He brings valuable knowledge and continuity to the position, plus a vision and natural curiosity that sets him apart. I can’t wait to see what he does with estate fruit this year and in the future.” “This opportunity to return as St. Supéry winemaker is like coming home,” said Scholz. “I look back fondly on the period from 1996 to 2001 as a time of great accomplishment for me and St. Supéry. Since 2001, the winery has replanted much of Dollarhide Vineyard to optimum clones and spacing. Vineyard Manager Josh Anstey has nurtured the ranch into a mature and vibrant estate, and I’m thrilled to get a chance to work with the fruit and the St. Supéry team again and see where we can take the wines of St. Supéry in the future!” Originally from Australia, Scholz is the sixth generation to grow up on his family’s vineyard in the Barossa Valley, so you could say his career path has fulfilled a family destiny. His winemaking career, which began in the mid 1980s, has progressed from cellarhand to vice president in charge of building a state-of-the-art winery, and he’s has held every position in between. Scholz lives in Santa Rosa, CA. About St. Supery Vineyards & Winery St. Supéry Vineyards & Winery is located in Rutherford, California, in the heart of the famed Napa Valley. Among Napa Valley’s few estate wineries, with two prime vineyards totaling 510 acres and a state-of-the-art winery, St. Supéry’s first vines were planted in 1982 by Paris-based Robert Skalli. In addition to St. Supéry, the Skalli family owns three wineries in France: Les Vins Skalli, considered a driving force behind the quality revolution in the south of France, Côteaux de Diana in Corsica, and Maison Bouachon in Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe. St. Supéry imports the Skalli family’s French wines through its SFWAmericas division. St. Supéry Napa Valley is highly regarded for its award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage blends Élu and Virtú, and the single-vineyard Limited Edition Dollarhide wines. Wine lovers come from far and wide to experience St. Supéry’s outstanding visitor program, and the winery has three thriving wine clubs. To learn more about St. Supéry, visit www.stsupery.com, email us at divinecab@stsupery.com or call (800) 942-0810.