Heidi Peterson Barrett

The Path

Training at University of California, Davis gave Heidi Peterson Barrett the technical base that later defined her cellar work: precision, discernment, and a structured approach to winemaking. That foundation was put into practice at Buehler Vineyards, where she served as head winemaker from 1983–1988 and established the seriousness with which her wines were regarded. In 1988, she became winemaker consultant at Dalla Valle, extending that work into another significant Napa setting. The next stage of the career moved through winemaking roles at Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley and Paradigm Winery, with consulting work at Elizabeth Spencer alongside them. Each post added to a body of work shaped by the vineyard, the cellar, and the demands of the wine itself. Since 1994, Barrett has been winemaker and owner of La Sirena, and since 2008 collaborator/owner of Barrett & Barrett, a combination that reflects both continuity and range.

The Work Today

La Sirena in St. Helena is the current center of Heidi Peterson Barrett’s winemaking, and the house name is personal rather than ornamental. As she puts it, she is “a lifelong ocean lover, longtime scuba diver, and wanted a winery name that was fun & magical (like wine), and also personal to me.” The result is a label identity that stays close to her own life while still serving the practical work of the winery. The wines themselves are built from what the property in Calistoga provides. “Our Studio Series blend shows off what we grow at our property in Calistoga, which is Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.” That line captures the way Barrett works: the vineyard sets the frame, the blend carries the expression, and small production keeps the attention on purity and excellence.

Signature

Heidi's signature wines include Screaming Eagle, Maya, Asante Sana, Moscato Azul, and La Sirena Cabernet Sauvignon. Together, these names map the range of her career and the reach of her winemaking voice, from celebrated Napa labels to the wines most closely associated with her own house.

In Their Words “Our Studio Series blend shows off what we grow at our property in Calistoga, which is Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.” “Production is always small, focusing on fine wines of purity and excellence.”

Acclaim

Recognition for Heidi Peterson Barrett has followed the sequence of roles that marked her progress: assistant winemaker at Bouchaine Vineyards, winemaker at Buehler Vineyards, and winemaker at La Sirena. Those assignments locate the respect around her work in named places and named responsibilities, where it was earned in the cellar rather than through general praise. The through-line is technical discipline applied over time. From UC Davis to a St. Helena winery carrying her own choices, Barrett’s career has stayed anchored in winegrowing places, Cabernet Sauvignon, and repeat performance under pressure.