“In March 2017, I was promoted to Winemaker, where I managed the Woodbridge Chardonnay program, the largest brand in the company,” she said. “I learned so much at Woodbridge. It was amazing to go from a small winery like JG to one of the largest in the state, seeing how grapes were processed on opposite ends of the production spectrum.”

In January of this year, Chadwell was once again promoted, this time making the move to Napa to work as Winemaker for New Product Development with Constellation Brands, Woodbridge Winery’s parent company. Among Constellation Brands’ popular wine, beer, and spirit brands are Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Corona, High West, and Ballast Point.

For Chadwell, a corporate position certainly doesn’t mean she can let the skills she gained at Jessie’s Grove and Woodbridge Winery collect dust.

“I find wine to be so fascinating,” Chadwell said. “It is like a living, breathing matrix that is unpredictable from one year to the next, one grape variety to the next, one winery to the next. There are constant innovations in the industry, and being a winemaker is an ever-evolving position, where anyone that takes it seriously is learning something new every day. It excites me that I could work in this industry for the rest of my life and never know everything there is to know about wine.”

As a winemaker, Chadwell’s taste in wine ranges from dark reds like Petite Sirah, to fruity whites and Champagnes.

“The fun part about wine is that there is a wine for literally everybody. My advice would be to move outside of your comfort zone and never cross any variety off your list,” she said. “Just because you had one bad Chardonnay doesn’t mean you won’t ever find one you like.

more at galtheraldonline.com