Pouring Progress

In 2013, at the age of 29, rising star Heidi Bridenhagen was named just the third winemaker in the storied history of MacRostie Winery and Vineyards. Heidi quickly set out to build on MacRostie’s reputation as one of California’s most revered producers of cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. “Carrying on the traditions of an iconic winery, while helping to chart the course for its future, is an undertaking that requires respect, thoughtfulness and vision,” says Heidi. “When I was named winemaker, I embraced the opportunity both to learn and lead. Like Steve MacRostie, who I am proud to call a friend and mentor, I strive to bring inquisitiveness, and an absolute attention to the details that are essential for great winemaking to my role.” Heidi also fills the role of Head Winemaker for Dough Wines, the first-ever wine collaboration of the James Beard Foundation.

Kim is a chemist full of energy and life, with a long history in Napa and a deep love of Merlot. As one of the first female winemakers in the Napa Valley, she is highly respected in the area. With three decades of experience under her belt, we are thrilled and humbled to have her on our team. Kim is an integral part of Markham’s story and has greatly contributed to our countless accolades and enduring place as one of Napa Valley’s great wineries. She also finds inspiration in her love of pairing great food and wine. An accomplished cook and baker, Kim enjoys hosting small dinner parties for family and friends with the goal of creating wonderful memories that showcase the relationship between lovingly prepared food and artfully made wines.

Winemaker Abigail “Abi” Estrada honed her winemaking chops in Italy, New Zealand, and Israel and worked for prestige brands like Markham, Domaine Chandon, and Robert Mondavi in Napa Valley. She crafts our wines by keeping the lots separate, tasting them throughout the year, and then integrating the components to create balanced, complex wines that can be enjoyed independently or with various cuisines.

A Bay Area native and UC Davis enology and viticulture graduate, Abigail Estrada didn’t travel far from her roots to TEXTBOOK Vineyards in the Napa Valley. Still, the path to get there took Abigail around the world for harvests in four different countries, including Italy, New Zealand, and Israel, where she was exposed to a wide range of climates, vineyards, varietals, and winemaking techniques. As Winemaker at TEXTBOOK Vineyards, Abigail is in a unique position to leverage her aptitude for innovation and experimentation with new techniques in the cellar and employing a boutique winemaking approach of small-lot fermentations. Her holistic knowledge of terroir brings a valuable perspective to winemaking as she explores the sub-AVAs of California Winegrowing Regions.

Taylor discovered her passion for science at an early age, and pursued a degree in viticulture & enology at UC Davis – which combined her love of science and the outdoors. After graduating, Taylor worked the vineyards of New Zealand, France, Australia and Oregon, where she learned that it always comes back to ensuring the land is well cared for. In her day-to-day, Taylor is focused on water conservation and building soil health through techniques like composting and the use of cover crops.

In 2023, Carolina’s long-held dream of becoming a winemaker became a reality when she was named the assistant winemaker at MacRostie. A native of Franca-São Paulo, Brazil with a degree in Food Engineering, Carolina’s passion for wine has taken her around the world several times, where she has honed her craft in Australia’s Yarra Valley and in California at Kendall-Jackson, La Crema and Sonoma-Cutrer, where she worked alongside Heidi Bridenhagen’s mentor, acclaimed Winemaker Cara Morrison. For Carolina, MacRostie is a dream job. “I love it here. Heidi is an amazing winemaker with an intimate, sensory-driven approach to winemaking. She’s been a wonderful mentor and an inspiring role model as an accomplished woman in wine. Working by her side, I’m constantly challenged, and I learn something new every day as I chart my own path in the industry.”

A fourth-generation farmer in NorCal wine country, Adrienne Uboldi’s affinity for nature and the outdoors led her to study plant science at Cal State Chico. She joined Markham Vineyards in 2019 as the Vineyard & Sustainability Manager before transitioning to leadership role in Operations. Adrienne focuses on identifying ways to maximize efficiency and improve processes, starting in the vineyards and culminating in each bottle of Markham Vineyards wine.

Erica Miller oversees Oregon’s renowned vineyard program, managing 500 acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Riesling. Embracing regenerative farming, she employs holistic practices to enhance carbon sequestration and vineyard health. Aligned with Argyle’s Grower First philosophy, Erica guides the in-house vineyard team to tailor viticultural techniques for the finest still and sparkling wines, proactively adjusting practices each season. Raised in Dufur, Oregon, Erica’s journey from mathematics to horticulture at Oregon State University led her through roles at Adelsheim Vineyard and Stoller Family Estate before joining Argyle in 2021, her dream job. Erica’s decisions, reflecting a short-term adaptive approach and a long-term vineyard impact, embody a commitment to excellence. Beyond Argyle, she actively contributes to the Willamette Valley Viticulture Technical Group and serves on the American Society of Viticulture and Enology Membership Committee.