Rob Lloyd
Executive Winemaker
Hometown: All of California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2009 Chardonnay with freshly caught Mahi-Mahi
About: Rob’s best vacation ever was wine tasting across Europe with his wife, Bonnie, on their honeymoon. They now enjoy life in Napa with their two daughters. Rob received his Masters Degree in Enology in 1999 from UC Davis interning at Kent Rasmussen Winery. He has made wine for La Crema and Rombauer Vineyards.
Charlie Keller
Assistant Winemaker
Hometown: Bogota, New Jersey
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Table for Four with his favorite dry aged rib-eye
About: Charlie’s favorite subject in school was chemistry. He cheers for the Giants (football, New York!) and the Yankees. His most memorable dinner was in Manhattan at Daniel. Tremendous! In his free time he enjoys playing racquetball and taking long hikes with his dog. Charlie admits he is still on his best vacation . . .
Tracy McArdle
Director of Retail Sales & Business Services
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2009 Chardonnay with juicy fried chicken
About: Tracy says her most memorable culinary experience was the first time she had soft shell crab as a child. “I was so nervous but I took one bite and LOVED it! I can still see my mother’s grin.” She attributes her love of food and wine to her mother. Rome was her favorite vacation spot and recalls being mesmerized by the Sistine Chapel.
Kim Behrens
Manager New Business Development
Hometown: North Caldwell, New Jersey
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Rosé with melon and prosciutto
About: Kim is an avid reader whose favorite book is “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” The most interesting place she has lived is Germany. Favorite vacation was in the Swiss Alps and most memorable culinary experience took place in Aix-en-Provence in southern France. She is the proud mom of Matthew and Justin.
Sheryl Martinez
Tasting Room Sales Associate
Hometown: Oroville, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: “I can’t ever lose with Jessup Zinfandel. It pairs with the living room, the kitchen and the dinner table!”
About: Sheryl relishes the memory of eating simple quesadillas from a rural village in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. During college she took a sabbatical to South America with her dad. “We bummed it together through Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. It was a phenomenal experience and becomes even more special as the years pass by.”
Bay Reid
Tasting Room Supervisor
Hometown: Napa, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Rosé with BBQ seafood skewers
About: When Bay is not at Jessup he likes to camp, hike, and make home brew (beer). Best vacation ever? 10 days in the backcountry of Yosemite National Park. His most memorable culinary experience is eating homemade pasta with Truffle Oil in southern Italy. Ciao!
Christina Johnson
Tasting Room Manager
Hometown: Golden, Colorado
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Petite Sirah and short ribs
About: Being from Colorado, Christina is a Denver Broncos fan, but she loves living here in Yountville. In her free time she likes to hike with her dog, Romeo. Her most memorable culinary experience was at Gary Danico in San Francisco. Ask her about her best vacation ever . . . it was in Ireland and Amsterdam.
Laurel Thomas
Tasting Room Sales Associate
Hometown: Nashville, Tennesee
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Petite Syrah with venison and huckleberry sauce
About: Laurel’s best vacation was a trip to Paris followed by a train ride to Nice and a sailing ship cruise through the Mediterranean and Italian Riviera. She might be called a romantic . . .favorite movie, “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
Cristy Cowell
Wine Club & Hospitality
Hometown: Napa, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2009 Sauvignon Blanc with Asian pear and baby spinach salad with blue cheese and citrus vinaigrette
About: Cristy loves spending time with her family. Her husband and son race dirt bikes competitively. They also enjoy camping. Cristy is a Troop Leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout troop.
Bailey Price
Tasting Room Supervisor
Hometown: Napa, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2006 Zinfandel with her Grandma's gumbo
About: Bailey is a graduate of Southern Oregon University where she played softball and is now happily “retired” from the sport. Her best vacation was a cruise to Mexico with three of her best friends. The “Burger from Hell” at the Coyote Bluff Café in Amarillo, TX is her most memorable culinary experience.
Christine Hale
Tasting Room Sales Associate
Hometown: Napa, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Table for Four with 72% dark chocolate
About: Christine is a fourth generation Napa Valley native. She loves the Valley but also enjoys traveling to famous food and wine regions to sample the native cultures and flavors. Her most memorable culinary experience was a birthday dinner at Auberge de Soleil in the Napa Valley . . .of course
Dan Robson
Tasting Room Sales Associate
Hometown: East Lansing, Michigan
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Zinfandel and grilled pork tenderloin
About: Dan’s favorite subject in school was English and Military History. He has stories to tell about his most memorable culinary experience . . .monkey stew in Vietnam in 1965. These days he reads Tom Clancy novels and likes to cruise in his forty-foot trawler when he gets some time off.
Stephanie Raymond
Wine Club & Hospitality
Hometown: Napa, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2006 Zinfandel Port with an old fashioned glazed doughnut
About: In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her nephews, and playing volleyball. Her best vacation ever was spent traveling Italy for three week with her family. She also has two labrador retrievers, Cammy and Lola.
Chris Mazzo
Tasting Room Sales Associate
Hometown: Laguna Beach, California
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2007 Jessup Cellars Zinfandel with root beer braised short ribs.
About: Chris is a world traveler; having lived in Toronto, Canada, Rome, Italy and gone on Safari in Kenya, his favorite place remains London, England. Chris is a big fan of the LA Angels of Anaheim and loves to surf, play Frisbee golf and hike.
Kit Paquin
Manager of Hospitality & Wine Club
Hometown: Fairfax, Vermont
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: 2009 Jessup Cellars Cabernet Franc with her fiancé's famous rosemary encrusted lamb lollipops.
About: Kit's most memorable culinary experience was at the Michelin starred restaurant Providence in Los Angeles. "I made a reservation, got dressed up and went all by myself. It was fabulous, I felt like a kid tasting ice cream for the very first time. Each course was a new discovery!" Kit is a huge New York Yankees fan just like her big brother. She loves reading, cooking, yoga, running and geeking out over wine and chemistry.
Ashley Brandner
Wine Representative, CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine)
Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Favorite Jessup Wine Pairing: Napa Valley Petite Sirah paired with a rack of lamb and fingerling potatoes.
About: Ashley's best vacation was relaxing in Hawaii with her college friends. She loves to snow board, hike, listen to music, and enjoy delicious food & wine with friends. Her favorite subject in school is art history.
