Winemaking
At Hess Persson Estates we believe that quality wine starts in the vineyards. Our winemaking team crafts our wines to be an expression of the land and terroir. For over 40 years, we have been producing estate wines from Napa and beyond with a goal to make balanced, elegant wines, drinkable now that will only improve with time.
Meet The Team
Stephanie Pope plays a pivotal role in the winemaking team at Hess Persson Estates. As Senior Winemaker, she is responsible for working with our signature varietals from the Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast – Cabernet Sauvignon, high-elevation Malbec, and Chardonnay. Her objective is to extract the powerful and bold flavor profiles from these varietals and produce wines that question the conventions of modern winemaking.
Stephanie’s journey in winemaking began at Trefethen Vineyards and Winery, an iconic Napa producer. She then ventured to New Zealand to work in the cellar at Whitehaven Wine Company, where she developed a fondness not only for Sauvignon Blanc but also for her future husband. Upon her return to Napa, Stephanie
joined Charles Krug Winery, initially working the winery lab and later serving as an Assistant Winemaker. In 2008, she became part of the Hess Collection as a winemaker focusing on the Allomi and Select wines. By 2018, Stephanie assumed the winemaking leadership of the Lions Head Collection. Then in 2024, Stephanie accepted the role of Senior Winemaker of Hess Persson Estates. Noteworthy for her expertise at the blending table Stephanie Pope actively explores and harnesses innovative technologies in the cellar to strive for new boundaries in flavor profiles.
Mandy Curley is an important part of the Hess Collection winemaking team. She works with classic varietals from Napa Valley and various other appellations in California to create our Hess Select wines and Allomi portfolio – Including Hess Collection’s most recognizable wine, Allomi Cabernet Sauvignon. Her goal is to capture a perfect snapshot of Napa in every glass; letting the vineyards shine through, relying on the low intervention techniques of luxury winemaking.
Stephanie Pope plays a pivotal role in the winemaking team at Hess Persson Estates. As Senior Winemaker, she is responsible for working with our signature varietals from the Napa Valley and Sonoma Coast – Cabernet Sauvignon, high-elevation Malbec, and Chardonnay. Her objective is to extract the powerful and bold flavor profiles from these varietals and produce wines that question the conventions of modern winemaking.
Stephanie’s journey in winemaking began at Trefethen Vineyards and Winery, an iconic Napa producer. She then ventured to New Zealand to work in the cellar at Whitehaven Wine Company, where she developed a fondness not only for Sauvignon Blanc but also for her future husband. Upon her return to Napa, Stephanie
joined Charles Krug Winery, initially working the winery lab and later serving as an Assistant Winemaker. In 2008, she became part of the Hess Collection as a winemaker focusing on the Allomi and Select wines. By 2018, Stephanie assumed the winemaking leadership of the Lions Head Collection. Then in 2024, Stephanie accepted the role of Senior Winemaker of Hess Persson Estates. Noteworthy for her expertise at the blending table Stephanie Pope actively explores and harnesses innovative technologies in the cellar to strive for new boundaries in flavor profiles.
Sustainability
Hess Persson Estates prides itself on being a pioneer in sustainability. All of our Estate vineyards and winery facilities are certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.
California Certified Sustainable Winegrowing is about more than checking a box. The program pushes participants to adopt over 200+ best practices in the vineyard and cellar, all whilst adopting a system of continuous improvement to ensure steps to improve are made constantly and consistently over time.
Our Vineyards
Allomi Vineyard
The Allomi Vineyard is located on the eastern base of Howell Mountain in one of the more remote areas of Napa County – Pope Valley. The combination of a long, warm growing season and well-drained soils creates optimal ripening conditions.
Iron Corral Vineyard
Our Iron Corral vineyard was named after its history in Napa Valley agriculture. Before being discovered as a wine-growing gem, this 420-acre parcel was home to early Napa ranchers. We are reminded of its history and legacy as we harvest among remnants of the ranchers’ original iron gates
Veeder Hills Vineyard
To accommodate the steep mountain slopes, the vines at this site are planted to ridges. We carefully seek out areas with thin soils so the vines are forced to struggle, producing lighter yields with small, intensely flavored berries. We avoid planting in shaded areas to ensure the vines have the best possible exposure to sunlight during the day to achieve optimal ripeness.
Veeder Summit Vineyard
Our highest estate vineyard was once the site of an old cherry orchard near the summit of Mount Veeder. Donald Hess originally planted the site to Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. However, due to the unique microclimates, the vineyard now is considered to be well suited for early-ripening varietals such as Malbec and Merlot.
