Wine Portfolio

Ralf  Holdenried

Winemaker, Black Stallion Estate Winery

From childhood chores on his family's vineyard in Germany to crafting small lot wines in Napa Valley, Ralf has an eclectic mix of winemaking experience that spans two continents. He studied winemaking and viticulture at Germany's prestigious University of Geisenheim and worked at several wineries in Reinhessen and Nahe, before studying fermentation science, viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis. Ralf became fascinated with California's wine culture and has since relished the New World approach to crafting wine.

Country born: Germany

Education: Master of Business Administration, Graduate School of Management, University of California at Davis
Bachelor of Science, Fermentation Science, University of California at Davis
Vordiplom, Viticulture and Enology, University of Geisenheim, Germany

Years in the wine industry: 20-30 years

Honors / Awards:
Ralf has received thirty 90+ Point scores from Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator on his wines.

Winemaking Philosophy:
Winemaking starts in the vineyard. Location, climate, picking decisions - these are all crucially important factors that will ultimately determine the quality of your finished wine. At Black Stallion Estate Winery, I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to personally hand-select our fruit from some of the finest vineyards and AVA's in Napa Valley.