Tom Rinaldi Helped Build Napa's Merlot Era. His Work Did Not End at Duckhorn.
The founding winemaker at Duckhorn has died at 77 after a fifty-year career that also shaped Provenance, Hewitt and a generation of Napa winemakers.
What happened
Tom Rinaldi, the founding winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards and later a central figure at Provenance Vineyards and Hewitt Vineyard, has died at 77. His daughter confirmed that his death over the weekend was unexpected. An exact date and cause have not been publicly disclosed.
Rinaldi's professional career began in 1976 at Freemark Abbey after he studied viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis. He subsequently worked at Rutherford Hill and helped start Round Hill before joining Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1978. He remained at Duckhorn for 22 vintages.
At Damascene, One Cellar Holds Many South Africas
At Damascene in Elgin, Jean Smit uses gentle cellar methods to preserve the differences among Franschhoek Sémillon, Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc, regional Syrah and Moya Meaker Riesling across South Africa’s Western Cape.
SAKE The Essential Guide
A complete introduction to sake, connecting rice, kōji, yeast, fermentation, classifications and service to explain how Japanese brewers transform a neutral grain into one of the world’s most technically complex beverages.
Thorvald Is Scaling in California Vineyards Before Full Autonomy
More than 100 Thorvald UV-C robots are expected to treat 2,600 acres of California vineyards in 2026. Research supports powdery mildew control, but cost, field reliability and a 1977 safety rule still limit full autonomy.