Dan Dexter

Winemaker, AvinoDos Wines

Dan Dexter’s path to winemaking began far from Napa Valley, on his family’s 400-acre grain farm in Toulon, Illinois. After graduating from Illinois State University with a degree in accounting, Dan became a CPA and spent 15 years working in healthcare finance in Chicago.
In 2007, Dan and his wife, Julie, moved to California, where an unexpected connection would ultimately change the course of his career. A biotech colleague, after learning about Dan’s farming background, invited him to lend a hand at his family’s winery and vineyards. What began as an opportunity to reconnect with his agricultural roots quickly developed into a passion for wine and winemaking.
When a company closure presented the opportunity for a career change, Dan decided to pursue that passion full-time. In 2012, he entered the wine business under the guidance of Gustavo Brambila, the prominent Napa Valley winemaker widely known for his connection to the story portrayed in Bottle Shock. Gustavo became both mentor and teacher, with Dan spending nearly six years working alongside him as cellar master and learning the craft of winemaking from the ground up.
During those years, Dan launched AvinoDos, combining his farming roots, business background, and hands-on winemaking experience. In 2018, he opened the winery’s current location, completing an unlikely journey from a grain farm in rural Illinois and the world of corporate finance to making wine in Napa Valley.

Country born: United States

Education: Six years mentoring under prominent, Napa Valley winemaker, Gustavo Brambila.

Years in the wine industry: 10-15 years

Honors / Awards:
Platinum Medal (97 Points) - 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards
Best of Class - 2026 Sunset Magazine
Double Gold - San Francisco Chronicle

Winemaking Philosophy:
Our focus is showcasing single-vineyard, low-intervention wines that deliver the ultimate reflection of the farmer, terroir, and essence of the Napa Valley.