Tracey Reichow, Winemaker and Founder of BCV, brought to the table almost three decades of winemaking expertise. Tracey was a first-person farmer whose “boots on the ground” philosophy took her through the vineyards daily. This personal relationship guided her viticultural decisions, ultimately leading to wines that express the distinct character of the grapes and their vineyards.
After a dozen years on the bond trading floor and two successfully launched children, she discovered a new passion for viticulture and winemaking in the Napa Valley. Her passion gained momentum throughout her education at UC Davis and Napa Valley College. What started with the planting and farming of a home vineyard, quickly grew into a love for winemaking and her establishment of the BCV brand in 1999. In the almost 30 years since it was founded by Tracey, the BCV brand has garnered numerous awards and notoriety: Award winning Napa Valley Winemaker & Napa Valley’s Best Hidden Gem Winery.
Tracey crafted the wines of Black Cat Vineyard by hand, with a passion for perfection. She developed an intimate sense of each wine, from soil to cellar to bottle, with keen observations, an experienced hand, and a highly personal relationship with the wines. These core philosophies are carried on by her Daughter, Samantha and Husband, Rick who have the honor of continuing her beautiful legacy.
Samantha had the privilege of learning the art of winemaking at her Mother, Tracey’s side since she was 10 years old. From helping to plant the estate vineyard in Coombsville, to stomping grapes after swim practice, growing up with a family business provided a wealth of experiences.
Samantha began her career as a CPA for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, later managing real estate investment funds in the private and public sectors. She officially joined the family business at Black Cat Vineyard in 2016.
Running a family business requires wearing many hats, and Samantha manages everything from vineyards, winemaking, hospitality and wine club, to compliance and financial reporting. She is honored to have the opportunity to continue her Mother’s legacy, pouring all of her heart into her work, just as Tracey always did.
Rick and Tracey were married for 45 wonderful years. Rick spent many years in the C-suite and later as a Business Consultant, then retired to discover that Tracey had built a successful and fast-growing wine business.
In 2010, Rick designed and built a production facility to meet all of the needs of Tracey’s growing winery business. Adept at everything from forklift operation to brand consulting he is an indispensable member for the team. His dedication to continuing Tracey’s dream of a generational family winery is at the heart of Black Cat Vineyard.
While she was new to Black Cat Vineyard in 2024, Katey is certainly not new to the wine industry or to our family. Katey has been a very close family friend for over 25 years; and, with over a decade of experience in the wine industry, Katey brings to the table her extensive knowledge from cult producers, her passion for wine, and her love of hospitality. We are thrilled to have her expertise, enthusiasm, and love for the craft on the BCV team!
In addition to being a beloved member of the Reichow family, Joyce has extensive managerial and logistics experience from her previous corporate career. As a 100% Direct-to-Consumer business, shipping logistics and customer service are incredibly important to us. Joyce ensures that each and every bottle of our delicious wine makes it safely to your tables. She has been an invaluable member of our BCV team since 2018!