Winemaker
Heidi Barrett
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Napa, California, United States
i. Biography
At La Sirena in Calistoga, small production is the working frame, with balance treated as the central measure.
The Making
Cellar competence in this line was built from formal fermentation study and production-floor work. Heidi Barrett trained at University of California, Davis (1980), then entered the cellar from the ground up as bottling line worker at Monterey Vineyard before broadening her craft as winemaking intern at German wine industry in Germany and winemaking intern at Australian wine industry in Australia. Napa Valley, California became the main proving ground through head winemaker at Buehler Vineyards (1983–1988), followed by consulting winemaker at Dalla Valle Vineyards (from 1988), winemaker at Screaming Eagle, winemaker at Paradigm Winery, winemaker at Grace Family Vineyards, winemaker at Showket Vineyards, winemaker at Revana Family Vineyards, winemaker at Vineyard 29, winemaker at Fantesca Estate & Winery, winemaker at Amuse Bouche, and winemaker at Lamborn Family. The current practice remains split between independent consulting, estate ownership, and partnership work. Today, she is winemaking consultant of Self-employed (since 1988), owner of La Sirena, consultant of Elizabeth Spencer, and co-owner of Barrett & Barrett.
The Work Today
Small-production Napa Valley winemaking at the estate in Calistoga is organized around a label that began with a 1994 first vintage and made its first Cabernet Sauvignon in 1996. Of the name, Barrett says, "The name means "the Mermaid" in Spanish and Italian. I chose it because I'm a lifelong ocean lover, longtime scuba diver, and wanted a winery name that was fun & magical (like wine), and also personal to me."
Signature
Signature bottlings include 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet and La Sirena.
Acclaim
Auction recognition for Napa Valley Cabernet is often tied to a specific bottle, format, and market moment. The 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet is one of Barrett’s defining works: at the 2000 Napa Valley Wine Auction, a 6-liter bottle set a world record for the highest price ever paid for a single bottle of wine, at $500,000. The technical credential behind the cellar work is a B.S. In Fermentation Science from the University of California, Davis in 1980. The route to ownership runs through named cellars and hands-on production work rather than a single sudden break.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Heidi
Where did Heidi Barrett train or study?
Heidi Barrett trained at University of California, Davis.
What is Heidi Barrett known for?
Cabernet Sauvignon.
