Winemaking

Ted Henry - Winemaker & Mabel Ojeda - Assistant Winemaker

Great wines embody the character and complexity of the vineyards they come from. They also reflect the artistry and experience of the people who make them. As only the fourth winemaker in the four-decade history of Clos Du Val, gifted winemaker Ted Henry brings 15 years of experience making impeccably balanced, estate-grown wines to Clos Du Val, with an emphasis on Bordeaux varieties. Mentored by such luminaries as famed wine sensory chemist Dr. Ann Noble and renowned winemaker Dimitri Tchelistcheff, Ted is guiding a vibrant and vineyard-driven stylistic shift at Clos Du Val towards greater ripeness, lovely mid-palate depth and ideal tannin integration.

Supporting Ted is assistant winemaker Mabel Ojeda. Born in Chile, Mabel brings invaluable global experience and technical know-how to Clos Du Val, having made wine on four continents. After earning a degree in food science with distinction from the Universidad Austral de Chile, Mabel found her calling as a winemaker while working a harvest in New Zealand. From there, her passion for winemaking took her to Chile, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, France and the ultimately Napa Valley, where she has become an invaluable member of the Clos Du Val team. “I came here with an understanding of how respected Clos Du Val is around the world,” says Mabel. “To be a part of writing the next chapter for a winery with such a rich history is thrilling.”

Stewards

Steve Tamburelli - President & Jon-Mark Chappellet - Director of Operations

Steve Tamburelli and Jon-Mark Chappellet are two of the most respected names in the Napa Valley wine industry. They are also old friends. Steve and Jon-Mark met in 2002, when they worked together at Chappellet. There, they helped to elevate it to its current status as one of Napa Valley’s great wineries. “Jon-Mark and I were both born into the wine industry,” says Steve. “My family had a wine distribution company, and Jon-Mark’s family founded one of Napa Valley’s great wineries. This business is in our blood. It’s something we love.”

Throughout his career, Steve has earned a reputation as a visionary leader, recognized for helping to write exciting new chapters in the stories of some of the valley’s most iconic wineries, including Chappellet and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Equally respected, Jon-Mark is known as a viticultural and winemaking innovator, and a master at growing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. “I grew up as part of one of Napa Valley’s pioneering wineries, and spent almost a quarter century helping it to realize its full potential,” says Jon-Mark. “Clos Du Val is cut from the same cloth. It is an iconic winery, with a rich history, and some of the finest vineyard land in California. It’s exciting to be a part of guiding such an important winery.” Steve echoes this sentiment. “Jon-Mark and I know what an honor it is to be the stewards of Clos Du Val. It’s one of the legendary wineries that reshaped the world wine map and influenced generations of winemakers and wine lovers. We know that the best way to honor Clos Du Val’s legacy is to to ensure that its future is as dynamic and meaningful as its roots.”