Brenae put her passion to action at a young age, she joined the Future Farmers of America at the age of 13 and became an officer when she was 17. The program took her all over California and immersed her in a world she knew she wanted to be a part of for the rest of her life.

Brenae studied Crops and Horticulture Science at California State University, Chico and during her senior year, after developing a palate for bold red wines, decided to pursue a career in viticulture.

She joined E. & J. Gallo Winery in 2013 as an Operations and Viticulture Intern and quickly established a relationship with an important mentor, winemaker Deborah Juergenson. “Deb started out as one of the first few women winemakers in a very male-dominated field.

It’s been amazing to have her as a mentor, both professionally and personally,” Brenae says. “Viticulture is still very male-dominated, so to drive more inclusion and diversity is very much an uphill battle.” It’s a battle that Brenae has done anything but back down from.

Since joining Gallo, Brenae has farmed Monte Rosso Vineyard with increasing levels of responsibility. In addition to her internship, Brenae also served as Viticulture Technician for 11 months before being named Vineyard Manager in 2015.

Monte Rosso is home to some of the oldest producing grapevines in California and has

garnered a near-mythic reputation among winemakers. “When I started, it was intimidating.

Here I am as this 24-year-old coming to manage Monte Rosso, a world-renowned vineyard and

one of the oldest in the state. It’s difficult and complex. Our vines range from four months old to over 130 years old, so it’s a lot to take on, but I love it,” she says. “We’ve brought a lot of technology and innovation to the vineyard, so much so that we can be farming up to three different wine styles within the same single block.”

Mount Peak Winery, like Brenae, is singularly focused on expressing Monte Rosso’s uniqueness. “When our winemaker Mark Williams visits, it’s not uncommon to hop in my truck and then hike into his favorite blocks. It’s a hands-on approach to winemaking, and he’s very honored to work with the fruit.” When asked how Monte Rosso’s distinct terroir shows up in the bottle, Brenae quickly answers.

“Acidity,” she declares, “and minerality and spice.” Part of the vineyard’s mystique is that its signature qualities seem impervious to producer and variety. “You

can taste Monte Rosso wines blind and recognize them immediately,” she adds. Brenae is California Table Wine, ©2019 Mount Peak Winery, Napa, CA. All rights reserved. doing everything in her power to keep it that way. “My goal is always to preserve what is special about Monte Rosso,” she says. “Hopefully it will be producing for another 132 years.”