NVC Estate Winery Friday Tasting Series

Napa Valley College Winery invites you to participate in our ongoing wine-tasting series, bringing guest vintners into the classroom to share their wines, winemaking philosophy, and industry perspectives. Initiated by Professor Paul Wagner and co-organized by Dr. Douglas Marriott (Dean of Career Education & Workforce Development) alongside Katja Loeffelholz, a wine law attorney and co-organizer for Women for WineSense, the series has grown since its summer 2024 launch in the McCarthy Library Community Room. The series has cultivated an engaged community of wine enthusiasts, and we are proud to now host this series in the new Wine Spectator Wine Education Center.

This week’s guest: Priyanka Dhar French, General Manager of Napa Wine Company and Winemaker for Ghost Block. In her dual roles, French leads winemaking and production at Napa Wine Company—one of Napa Valley’s pioneering custom crush facilities and a launchpad for some of the region’s most elite wine brands—founded by Hoxsey in 1993. At Ghost Block, she crafts wines from renowned Napa estate vineyards, including MorgaenLee and Ghost Block in Yountville and Pelissa and Rock Cairn in Oakville, with a focus on single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. French most recently served as Winemaker for Signorello Estate, where, alongside Consulting Director of Winemaking Celia Welch and Consulting Viticulturist Steve Matthiasson, she played a central role in revitalizing the nearly 40-year-old family winery following its destruction in the 2017 wildfires. She oversaw construction of a new 20,000-square-foot winery and caves, while refining the estate’s flagship wines—Padrone Cabernet Sauvignon and Hope’s Cuvée Chardonnay.

Recognized for her modern winemaking approach rooted in organic farming and sustainability, French was born and raised in Mumbai, India. She holds a Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California, Davis, and has worked at esteemed estates including Dalla Valle Vineyards and Stags’ Leap Winery, with additional harvest experience in Bordeaux and New Zealand. A vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the wine industry, French was named to Wine Enthusiast’s “Future 40” in 2023. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Wine Unify, is Mentorship Program Director for Bâtonnage, participated in the Napa Valley Leadership Cohort in 2022 and chaired Premiere Napa Valley in 2024.