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David Galzignato combines a passion for viticulture, a comprehensive knowledge of winemaking, and an inspired approach to the art of the blend. Born and raised in California, David spent his summers on a family farm where he developed an early interest in agriculture. This fascination grew when David visited a 5-acre vineyard owned by relatives in Italy's famed Piedmont region following high school. There, David enjoyed his first real taste of hands-on viticulture and small-lot winemaking as he explored the property where his family had been growing grapes and making wine since the 1920s. Following this pivotal experience, David began his studies at the University of California, Davis, where he earned a bachelor of science in viticulture and enology and a bachelor of arts in Italian. While putting himself through university, David augmented his experience by working harvests with Jekel Vineyards in Monterey County and with several wineries in Italy, including Lombardy's Le Fracce and Piedmont's highly regarded Ada Nada. Eager to continue developing his expertise working with a range of varietals from differing winegrowing regions, David joined Washington's Columbia Crest winery as enologist after graduation in 1999. While at Columbia Crest, David had the opportunity to work with noted winemaker Ray Einberger. With Ray as his mentor, David began developing his skills, focusing on fermentation temperatures, tannin management, oxygen integration, the marriage of wood and wine, and the importance of experimentation. Most of all, David explored the relationship between aromas and flavors as he studied the blending process. Next, David joined Kendall Jackson as senior enologist, an opportunity that enabled him to return to Italy where he worked at the company's Tenuta Di Arceno property in Tuscany. There David was able to hone his skills putting together bottle blends of the winery's Super Tuscan and Chianti Classico wines. In 2003, David joined Charles Krug Winery as assistant winemaker where he worked closely with consultant winemaker Denis Malbec. Recognized for his skill and dedication, David was promoted to winemaker within a year, and soon helped to take the quality of Krug's wines to a new level. Following his time at Charles Krug, David worked in the more intimate, limited-production setting of Lewis Cellars, where he was responsible for crafting the small Napa winery's acclaimed portfolio of wines. Committed to exploring the art of the blend while helping to establish a benchmark California varietal pairing, David joined Paraduxx as winemaker in 2007. "Blending is hard," says David. "That's why I love it. The blend begins in the vineyard well before harvest. It's in the character of individual rows. You need to honor the complexity of the fruit as you discover how the pieces fit together. This approach has helped to make Paraduxx one of the finest wines in the Napa Valley. My goal is to stay true to the boldly elegant Paraduxx style, while embracing the innovative spirit that defines it." | 