Our Story
Fairwinds Estate Winery is nestled in the hillside off the Silverado Trail in the northern realm of Napa Valley. The historic winery was the 4th winery established in Napa Valley after prohibition.
In 1969, Thomas Cotrell and Thomas Parkhill, both Silicon Valley engineers, founded the Calistoga winery. New York publisher Oakleigh Thorne subsequently purchased the winery in 1974 and appointed the Swiss- born Philip Togni as Winemaker. In 1979, the Schmidheiny family of Switzerland purchased the winery and operated it for 36 years.
In March of 2015, Brandon Chaney and Anthony Zabit, both San Francisco entrepreneurs, purchased the majestic winery and began writing the next chapters of its historic journey. With their love of being on the water and ‘living in the moment’, they introduced to the Fairwinds lifestyle brand to world.
In September 2020, the winery suffered extensive damage in the Glass Fire that wreaked havoc in the wine country. Serendipitously, Fairwinds’ wine inventory and production were spared in its underground wine caves.
In an act of true patriotism, the brave firefighters of Engine 559 of the Fremont Fire Department saved the American Flag as The Glass Fire overtook Fairwinds. The next day, these brave men presented the flag back to Brandon and Anthony to proudly raise above the new structures to rise from the ashes in the coming years.
Planning is underway to rebuild the damaged structures on the majestic property to create an iconic architectural statement for family, friends & guests to enjoy in the future. Fairwinds is currently open for tastings and events in its 22,000 sq. ft. wine cave by appointment only.
OUR PROPRIETORS
Brandon chaney
Chief Executive Officer
- Brandon grew up in Indiana. His father was a professor at Purdue University and his mother an artist. Brandon attended Indiana University and landed his first job with General Electric Nuclear Energy. This experience led Brandon to Co-Found a public utility company in the State of California which he was CEO for 20 years. In March of 2015, he purchased Fairwinds with his college roommate and life-long friend, Anthony Zabit. Brandon currently lives in the Lake Tahoe area with his fiancée Jen and their four children and five dogs.
Anthony zabit
Chief operating officer
- Anthony grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. Transplanting to the west coast, he made his mark as a successful San Francisco entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in building disruptive businesses working along side Brandon. He also graduated from Indiana University School of Business where he originally met Brandon, his life-long friend and business partner. Anthony is married to Karen and has six children and currently splits time between his homes in Central America and the United States.
Todd Heth
Executive Winemaker
- Todd’s passion in fine winemaking began over 20 years ago. His deep exposure and wealth of experiences in old world wine practices include travels to wineries in France, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, and Hungary. Todd’s other passion is journalism and was an accomplished editor for several notable wine publications. His wines have won many awards and posted 90+ scores from industry experts. Todd is married with two children and live is Calistoga.
Adam Henderson
Chief Revenue & Experience Office
- Growing up in Yountville, Adam has spent his career at the intersection of Real Estate, Technology and Wine. He has been an early investor, board member, founder, and advisor in a number of companies ranging from agribusiness, trading platforms, Fintech, real estate to wine with successful exits including an IPO. His passion is family, community, friends and great experiences in life. Adam, grounded in Napa Valley, resides also in the Bay Area with his wife where they raised four boys.
Honoring the Land
Great winemaking starts in the vineyard. We harmonize with Napa Valley's diverse terroir to craft wines that capture its essence. Our sustainable approach uses minimal organic inputs and regenerative practices, nurturing a vibrant ecosystem—from soil microbes to local wildlife.
Sourced from varied vineyards with sedimentary, volcanic, clay, and loam soils, our blends feature heritage California selections and premium European clones for rich, dynamic flavors in every bottle.
A Commitment to Balance
Our winemaking philosophy is all about balance — between soil and rootstocks, fruit and canopy, structure and acidity. We hand-harvest grapes at peak ripeness, then meticulously sort them by hand and with advanced optical technology to select only the very best fruit.
The result is wines with pure fruit expression, elegant complexity, and beautiful depth. Bold reds that reveal themselves with decanting. Vibrant whites that shine with freshness and texture. Every bottle honors both tradition and innovation.
Sustainability at Our Core
Preserving the environment behind our wines has been central to our philosophy. As a charter member of the Napa Green Winery program since 2007, we were among the first three Napa Valley wineries to earn certification.
Our commitment spans every operation:
Napa Green Certified Facility: We meet over 120 sustainability standards, from water conservation to cutting our carbon footprint.
Regenerative Farming: We nurture a vibrant vineyard ecosystem, safeguarding biodiversity—from soil earthworms to roaming jackrabbits and foxes.
Next-Generation Solar-Powered: Our winemaking facility runs entirely on a massive solar array.
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