Kelly Fields

Background

About Kelly Fields

Winemaking is a beautiful combination of science, heart, family, and tradition. Every bottle of wine has hundreds of individuals that pour expertise, time and love into each ounce over the course of years before it makes it to a table. It is this artisanal process that made me fall in love with this industry. Vineyards across the Napa Valley have been tended to by families over the course of generations, many using techniques passed down like heirlooms. I am proud to serve as Winemaker for Tench Vineyards, a three-generation family-owned vineyard known for both its luxury wines, and diverse fruit, which has been used by some of the most renowned makers in Napa. I have the honor of being at the forefront of innovation – working alongside the Tench family to hold the wines we make to the highest of standards and supporting other producers in the cellar. I get to be hands-on with everything from vine maintenance and wine blending to quality control and bottling. Before taking on my role as winemaker, I was just down the road (sharing a fence line with Tench actually) at Joseph Phelps Vineyards. This is where I started my career in the wine industry, landing my first role as a lab technician at Joseph Phelps Vineyards. I went on to be promoted into increasingly responsible roles, before taking on the role of Assistant Winemaker. Throughout my 18 years with Phelps, I really honed my craft, focusing on starting in an analytical lab technician role, before expanding my focus to blending and tasting, really understanding how science and artistry must come together to create a great final product. I am also committed to environmental sustainability and ethical agriculture, as well as the advancement of industry leaders through equity and inclusion. I contribute to several committees and organizations, including the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, Women for WineSense, and Women of the Vines & Spirits.