Ria D'Aversa

I finished my undergraduate degree in Botany and began my career working with plants at the New York Botanical Garden. While there, the 2008 economic crisis nudged me to take a sabbatical, in which I turned around and traveled to Tuscany to work my first grape harvest. In my travels, many encouraged me to continue working with vineyards by applying to graduate school at UC Davis. I received my Masters of Science from UC Davis, focusing on viticulture and soil systems. It's at Davis That I truly saw the beauty of the west and wine by visiting beautiful vineyards throughout the state of California. Since then, I have worked at Broc Cellars in Berkeley, Tenuta Tignanello in Chianti, Treasury Wine Estates in Sonoma, McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma, Constellation Brands in Napa and at Hermann J. Wiemer in the Finger Lakes. Organic, deliberate farming is pivotal to my grape growing and I continue my love for thoughtful, fresh wines through my own small wine brand.