Brittany Sherwood

The Path

Training in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis gave Sherwood a technical base for the cellar and a vocabulary for the field. At Davis, wine study sat between lab discipline and agricultural practice, and that balance remains part of the work. Since 2018, she has been winemaker at Heitz Cellar, contributing to wines made within a Napa Valley name whose identity is tied to the region itself.

The Work Today

At Heitz Cellar, winemaking is framed as a shared process rather than a solo position. Sherwood’s approach leans on comparison, discussion, and the slow narrowing of options until the best decision is clear. “There is a lot of collaboration so that at the end of the day we are making the best decisions possible.” Style, in her terms, starts with the vineyard and the season. Sherwood is explicit about the target: “I want to craft wines that are respectful of both the site and the vintage and that showcase these qualities in a fresh, age- worthy, classic style.” The language points to restraint and clarity—wines that carry place without forcing it, and that leave room for the vintage to register.

In Their Words “I want to craft wines that are respectful of both the site and the vintage and that showcase these qualities in a fresh, age- worthy, classic style.” “I saw how winemaking is an amazing blend of science and art. Plus I realized there is this whole other side to life, with food, wine and travel.”

Acclaim

At Heitz Cellar, the work carries the weight of continuity as much as output. Sherwood describes that position in terms of place and responsibility: “I felt profoundly lucky to be able to be part of this Napa Valley legacy.” The point is less ceremony than stewardship—making decisions that respect the vineyard, the vintage, and the line of work that runs through Napa Valley glass by glass.