|  As the founder, vineyard manager and winemaker of Black Cat Vineyard I wear many hats. The story of how that came to be is anything but conventional. My passion for learning and my desire to continually broaden my horizons took me first to the fast paced and highly competitive world of investment banking where I learned that there is no substitute for hard work and “doing your homework”. During my years in the business world, I had the good fortune to sample many fine wines and was particularly intrigued by the complexity of some of the classic Rhone varietals, especially wines of Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape. It was then that I first developed a special interest in Syrah, the premier grape of the Rhone Valley. After nearly ten years in the fast lane, I left the business world to raise my two beautiful children. Motherhood has taught me invaluable lessons in patience and nurturing that could never be learned anywhere else. My husband and I moved to the Napa Valley in 1996 along with two kids, two horses, two rabbits, one black cat and a passion for wine. I have always been a firm believer in the saying attributed to St. Ambrose that “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”, so naturally I began studying viticulture and winemaking at UC Davis and Napa Valley College.  With the help of family and friends, I pounded stakes, drove tractors, designed, trenched and installed irrigation and planted vines in an effort to create the perfect vineyard. Our first commercial harvest was sold to Mi Sueno Winery and marked the beginning of a long and fostering relationship with Rolando Herrera and his family. Mi Sueno Winery has subsequently purchased grapes from our vineyard each year. Starting with the 2001 harvest I began hand-selecting small lots of fruit to produce our own artisan Syrah and Syrah/Cabernet blend. The 2004 vintage is the first to be released commercially. Cheers, Tracey Reichow Winemaker |
