Chances are if you have any interest in wine, you can drop into any wine tasting room or wine bar and start chatting with the owner, server or another patron and quickly discover you know someone in common. It’s what makes the industry a strong tribe.

A recent visit to Carneros—a must for lovers of classic pinot noir, chardonnay, sparkling and, increasingly, albarino—took us to Cuvaison, where we met with CEO Dan Zepponi, who grew up in the wine industry. His grandfather is the “Z” in ZD Winery, one of 14 wineries in Napa that date back 50 years ago.

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Zepponi has worked at Beringer, Foster’s Wine Estate, Mark Anthony (in Okanagan BC, where Mike’s Hard Lemonade and White Claw originated), among others, and took over Cuvaison and sister brand Brandlin Estate nine years ago

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