Stuart Henry

Ravenswood Director of Winemaking

Raised in Lodi, California (one of the state’s most celebrated regions for old vine California Zinfandel), with a winemaker father and numerous aunts and uncles in the wine business, it would seem that Stuart Henry’s manifest destiny was to become a winemaker. Yet for Stuart, a man with a diverse range of interests, the calling was not always so clear. 

As a student, he thrived on the sciences, but gravitated to subjects like history, geography, music, and languages as well. In his senior year of high school, while considering which major and University to pursue, he was intrigued by the balance of sciences in the Winemaking field, and decided to pursue a degree in Fermentation Science at UC Davis.

During summer breaks Stuart worked in various wine cellars and labs and found himself increasingly intrigued by the craft. With free time in his Davis schedule and an unfulfilled interest in the arts, Stuart began taking classes in Italian, which quickly grew into a double-major and led to a year abroad in Italy .

This year spent immersed in the Italian culture finally brought everything clearly into focus: “In Padova, I saw how much wine is a part of everyday life and culture -- something to be celebrated and enjoyed with everyday food. At that moment, winemaking became the only path for me.”

Immediately following his graduation from UC Davis in 2000 (with his double major intact), Stuart joined La Familia di Robert Mondavi Winery, as a cellar intern making small batch Moscato, Barbera and a Super Tuscan style California blend. From Mondavi and small scale winemaking, he moved to Beringer Vineyards as an Enologist, then to Charles Krug Winery as Assistant Winemaker in 2004 where he crafted limited release and vineyard designated wines. Finally, in 2007, Stuart landed a job as Winemaker at Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma .

Since August, 2011, Stuart has led the charge as Director of Winemaking, working alongside Founding Winemaker Joel Peterson. In this capacity he oversees all aspects of winemaking across Ravenswood’s three-tiered portfolio of (predominantly Zinfandel) wines – including the popular Vintners Blend, County Series and Single Vineyard Designates collections.

Of his Ravenswood Zinfandel immersion, Stuart feels that he has finally found his true calling as a winemaker: “Our tremendous vineyard resources – from Sonoma ’s cooler coastal regions, to the warmer valleys of Sonoma , Dry Creek and Napa , to Lodi and more – allow us to coax a wide range of terroir-specific aromas and flavors from the grape.”

Stuart also credits Ravenswood’s stable of growers with teaching him the nuances of old vine California Zinfandel. “Our growers, some of whom have been working their vineyards for generations, play a huge role in our finished wines – probably more than they sometimes get credit for. Their ability to coax the best from their vines year in and year out is a tremendous asset for Ravenswood.