Andy Erickson

Winemaker, Ellman Family Vineyards

I have lived and worked in the Napa Valley since 1994. For more than two decades I've been dedicated to producing wines of strong character that truly represent the great terroir from which they come. My efforts have led me from early assignments at Spottswoode, Harlan Estate and Staglin Family Vineyard, to Screaming Eagle, Ovid, Dalla Valle, and Mayacamas, among others. I met Annie shortly after arriving in Napa Valley, and we connected immediately through a shared passion for where we lived, what we did, and what we could do. We loved (and continue to love) growing things, creating, building, cooking, fermenting, preserving, and of course the results of all that activity. Growing grapes and making wine has become the center of our daily work lives, bringing us to many incredible places and helping us forge great and meaningful friendships. With our wine business, what started literally as a garage project has since bloomed into something sustainable, attracting a small but formidable team that has further strengthened our ability to grow and improve. Though our development continues, I'm happy it still feels like a family business, just with a growing family.

Country born: United States

Education: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Tufts University, 1989
Master of Science, Enology, University of California, Davis 2000

Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years

Winemaking Philosophy:
As a winemaker, my goal is to highlight the character of each of the unique vineyard sites with which I work, whether at my clients' estate vineyards, or the vineyards that produce our own Favia wines. Experiences gained from a summer in France during university, and many subsequent trips to winegrowing regions in Europe, have fueled my enthusiasm for the concept of "terroir" as well as for wines made from special places. While I am fortunate enough to travel and work with wineries in other parts of the world, I feel incredibly lucky to call Napa Valley my home, and am constantly marveled by the diversity of soils and microclimates in this small but diverse valley.