When Natalie Winkler left her winemaking role at Napa Cabernet star Salvestrin Winery to start a new project, I was a little surprised. She had a good run there from 2017 through 2023, helping to improve quality alongside Rich Salvestrin and his family, particularly with the Cabernet Sauvignon from Salvestrin’s holdings in the historic Dr. Crane Vineyard. When Winkler told me where she was going, I was even more surprised: Michel-Schlumberger in Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley.
In his Dec.15, 2025 column, senior editor James Molesworth looks into how Winkler and Michel-Schlumberger’s new owners are revamping this Dry Creek Valley estate. Read the column to get the details!
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