Wine Portfolio

Nate Weis

Winemaker, Silver Oak

Although he toyed with the idea of becoming a pilot or possibly a
firefighter, Nate Weis' decision to pursue winemaking seemed almost inevitable. A Napa Valley native whose father is also a winemaker, Nate grew up with wine on the table and a drawer full of t-shirts emblazoned with winery logos. His first job after graduating with honors from UC Santa Barbara with a BS in
Biopsychology/Neuroscience was as a "cellar rat" at Groth Vineyards & Winery. "My dad suggested I make sure I actually liked winemaking before heading down that career path. I loved that first harvest, so I packed my bags, dropped my application for UC Davis grad school in the mail and went off to Hawke's Bay, New Zealand."

Nate spent the 2003 harvest at two New Zealand wineries- Craggy Range Winery and Sacred Hill Wines- and when he returned home he worked a harvest for Etude Wines before starting grad school. After earning his MS in Viticulture and Enology, he was hired as cellar master at Etude, and then spent two years as assistant winemaker for Patz & Hall Wine Company. In 2008 Nate was hired by Marchese Piero Antinori to be winemaker for Antica Napa Valley, where he made Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot. He also served as winemaker for Aril Wines in Napa, a small ultra-premium producer of Cabernet and Syrah.

Nate, who joined Silver Oak in 2014, has a long list of things he likes about winemaking: "I love the uniform- jeans and boots. I love the physical nature of the work, coming home covered in muck and tired out from working hard. I love the setting and getting to play with heavy equipment; one of my best memories is a harvest spent on a tractor spreading out pomace in the vineyard and watching the sunset. And I've grown to love the plant biology part of it- figuring out how to get the vine to do what we want it to do. It's like unraveling a mystery. And of course I love the end product. I often see people when they're happiest- at a great meal with a glass of Silver Oak in their hand."

Under Director of Winemaking Daniel Baron, Nate is responsible for managing Napa Valley and Alexander Valley wine production from grape to bottle and also serving as an ambassador for the brand. Having grown up in Napa Valley where Cabernet is king, Nate is happy to be working exclusively with the varietal he most often pulls out when he wants to really savor a meal or an evening. He is also honored to work with Daniel, who he admires as an intelligent, articulate and excellent leader with an active mind and wise persona.

"Daniel has been a great steward of Silver Oak, much like Justin Meyer before him. I hope to continue this tradition, while also putting my stamp on the winery to some extent," reflects Nate. "At Silver Oak we all think that wine tends to reflect the people and personalities behind it, even in the smallest of ways. I'm excited to find out what part of me the wines of Silver Oak will ultimately reflect while also maintaining the rigorously high quality standards established here over the last 42 years."

Country born: USA

Education: Nate Weis graduated with honors from UC Santa Barbara with a BS in Biopsychology/Neuroscience. He then continued his education At UC Davis where he earned his MS in Viticulture and Enology.

Years in the wine industry: 15-20 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
"I love the physical nature of the work, coming home covered in
muck and tired out from working hard. I love the setting and getting to play with heavy equipment; one of my best memories is a harvest spent on a tractor spreading out pomace in the vineyard and watching the sunset. And I've grown to love the plant biology part of it- figuring out how to get the vine to do what we want it to do. It's like unraveling a mystery. And of course I love the end product."

Daniel Baron

Winemaker, Silver Oak

I began working in the vineyards of Knights Valley for John Rolleri in 1971. In 1975, I enrolled at UC Davis and completed my Bachelors and Masters degrees under grape geneticist Harold Olmo. I moved to Anderson Valley in 1978, where I worked as vineyard manager and assistant winemaker at Navarro Vineyards. In 1981, I decided to fulfill my dream to work in Bordeaux. When my first opportunity didn’t pan out as expected, I stayed in France, traveling to many wine regions and working in seven different chateaux throughout the Bordeaux region during the 1981 harvest. I became fluent in the language and learned the business and social customs. In France, you don’t do business until you share a meal. That made a big impression on me.

A chance meeting with Christian Moueix led to a one-year internship at the Chateau Petrus in Pomerol, and there I was befriended by winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, cellarmaster Jean Veyssiere and his son Francois. They taught me about wine as a part of culture and how history, quality and tradition are intertwined with the practical aspects of winemaking. After the 1982 vintage, Christian Moueix put me in charge of his new winery in Napa Valley, Dominus Estate.

I worked at Dominus from 1982 to 1994, rising to general manager, when a quirky newspaper ad placed by Justin Meyer of Silver Oak Cellars caught my attention. Justin was looking to name his succesor. We hit it off immediately, and although I wasn’t sure about leaving Dominus, Justin wouldn’t take no for an answer. I worked side by side with Justin until his retirement in 2001. Justin instilled in me both pride in what Silver Oak had accomplished and the humility to realize that there is always room to improve. He constantly searched for ways to raise quality, and that’s become one of our core values at Silver Oak.

Country born: United States

Education: Bachelor of Science, Plant Science Major, UC Davis graduation with Highest Honors, 1976 Master of Science in Horticulture, UC Davis, 1981
Mentors: John Rolleri, Chateau Montelena;
Dr. Harold Olmo, UC Davis;
Ted Bennett, Navarro Vineyards;
Christiane Moueix, Jean-Claude Berrouet, Michel Gillet, Jean and Francois Veyssiere, Ets JP Moueix;
Justin Meyer, Silver Oak Cellars

Years in the wine industry: 30+ years

Honors / Awards:
Citation for Outstanding Performance, Plant Science Major, 1976
Department Citation for Outstanding Undergraduate Accomplishment in Viticulture and Enology, 1976
Board Member, American Society of Enology
President, Napa Valley Wine Technical Group

Winemaking Philosophy:
To me, wine has always been more than something to drink. My family’s love and appreciation of good food, the time I’ve spent in France and the many mentors I've had along the way have led me to an appreciation of the role wine plays in daily life, as well as history and culture. To me, creating wine is one of the ways people preserve civilization.

Daniel Baron

Winemaker, Twomey

I began working in the vineyards of Knights Valley for John Rolleri in 1971. In 1975, I enrolled at UC Davis and completed my Bachelors and Masters degrees under grape geneticist Harold Olmo. I moved to Anderson Valley in 1978 where I worked as vineyard manager and assistant winemaker at Navarro Vineyards. In 1981, I decided to fulfill my dream to work in Bordeaux. When my first opportunity didn’t pan out as expected, I stayed in France, traveling to many wine regions and working in seven different chateaux throughout the Bordeaux region during the 1981 harvest. I became fluent in the language and learned the business and social customs. In France, you don’t do business until you share a meal. That made a big impression on me.

A chance meeting with Christian Moueix led to a one-year internship at the Chateau Petrus in Pomerol, and there I was befriended by winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, cellarmaster Jean Veyssiere and his son Francois. They taught me about wine as a part of culture and how history, quality and tradition are intertwined with the practical aspects of winemaking. After the 1982 vintage, Christian Moueix put me in charge of his new winery in Napa Valley, Dominus Estate.

I worked at Dominus from 1982 to 1994, rising to general manager, when a quirky newspaper ad placed by Justin Meyer of Silver Oak Cellars caught my attention. Justin was looking to name his succesor. We hit it off immediately, and although I wasn’t sure about leaving Dominus, Justin wouldn’t take no for an answer. I worked side by side with Justin until his retirement in 2001.

Justin instilled in me both pride in what Silver Oak had accomplished and the humility to realize that there is always room to improve. He constantly searched for ways to raise quality, and that’s become one of our core values at Silver Oak.

Country born: United States

Education: Bachelor of Science, Plant Science Major, UC Davis graduation with Highest Honors, 1976 Master of Science in Horticulture, UC Davis, 1981
Mentors: John Rolleri, Chateau Montelena;
Dr. Harold Olmo, UC Davis;
Ted Bennett, Navarro Vineyards;
Christiane Moueix, Jean-Claude Berrouet, Michel Gillet, Jean and Francois Veyssiere, Ets JP Moueix;
Justin Meyer, Silver Oak Cellars

Years in the wine industry: years

Honors / Awards:
Citation for Outstanding Performance, Plant Science Major, 1976
Department Citation for Outstanding Undergraduate Accomplishment in Viticulture and Enology, 1976
Board Member, American Society of Enology
President, Napa Valley Wine Technical Group

Winemaking Philosophy:
To me, wine has always been more than something to drink. My family’s love and appreciation of good food, the time I’ve spent in France and the many mentors I've had along the way have led me to an appreciation of the role wine plays in daily life as well as history and culture. To me, creating wine is one of the ways people preserve civilization.