Winemaker
Aaron Pott
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Napa, California, United States
i. Biography
Aaron Pott’s work sits between academic training and cellar practice, with each side reinforcing the other. Trained at University of California, Davis and Université de Bourgogne, he built a path that moved from Napa Valley into Saint-Émilion and back again, taking on roles that demanded both technical judgment and steady management. The throughline is not speed but accumulation: years in vineyards and cellars, across French and American estates, until the craft itself became the evidence.
Coming Up
A measured rise marks Aaron Pott’s early career. He began as assistant winemaker at Newton Vineyard in Napa Valley, a post that placed him inside a demanding production culture. From there he moved to France as winemaker at Château Troplong-Mondot in Saint-Émilion, then added general management to the role at Château La Tour Figeac in Saint-Émilion. Each step extended the same discipline in a different setting: vineyard decisions, cellar decisions, and the coordination required to make both hold together. Back in Napa Valley, he continued that line of work as winemaker at Beringer Wine Estates, then took on the dual role of winemaker and general manager at Quintessa Estate in Napa Valley (2004–2006). Since 2007, that range has widened further through Pott Wine, Huis Clos Consulting, Seven Stones Estate, and Missing Thorn, all of them part of the same working vocabulary. Today, Aaron’s practice spans winemaking, consulting, and project-building. He is co-founder of Pott Wine (since 2007), founder of Huis Clos Consulting, winemaker of Seven Stones Estate, and co-creator of Missing Thorn (since 2024). Those roles describe a producer still working inside the trade, not apart from it.
Where They Are Now
Consulting winemaking suits a hand trained to assess sites, vintages, and decisions without needing to own every step. In Aaron Pott’s case, the role fits a career built on observation and adaptation, with Cabernet Franc remaining a stated focus. His own words keep that preference plain: “Certainly my taste for Cabernet Franc has not waned since those days.” The remark lands as craft continuity rather than nostalgia.
Signature
Cabernet Franc is the clearest marker in Aaron Pott’s work. It gives his practice a fixed point inside a broader range of estates and responsibilities, a varietal preference that has remained part of his identity as a winemaker.
In Their Words “Certainly my taste for Cabernet Franc has not waned since those days.” “I was hired during my undergraduate days as lab technician at Robert Mondavi/Opus One Winery by my now neighbor Steve Lagier.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Aaron
Where did Aaron Pott train or study?
Aaron Pott trained at University of California, Davis and Université de Bourgogne.
What recognition has Aaron Pott received?
Winemaker of the Year (2012).
