Random Article Summary #102

Heidi Peterson Barrett is an American winemaker and business owner known for producing some of California’s most sought-after “cult” wines. She has worked at many well-known wineries throughout her career, including places like Screaming Eagle and Grace Family Vineyards. She has also held roles across other notable companies such as Dalla Valle, Paradigm, and Amuse Bouche. In addition to her wine work, she consults for Elizabeth Spencer. Barrett also runs her own wine label called La Sirena. Heidi Barrett was born in Berkeley, California to Richard and Diane Peterson. Her father was a well-known winemaker who worked at major wineries, including E & J Gallo and Beaulieu Vineyards. She attended grade school in Modesto, later moved to Napa Valley, and graduated from UC Davis in 1980 with a B.Sc. in Fermentation Science, one of only four women in her class of 30. After internships in the German and Australian wine industries, Heidi Barrett became head winemaker for Buehler Vineyards in 1983, then left in 1988 to work as a winemaking consultant. She first gained major success with Dalla Valle, earning two early 100-point scores from Wine Advocate’s Robert Parker, and later helped Screaming Eagle gain popularity in the early 1990s, becoming a “winemaking star” after the 1992 vintage. She went on to work with others like Paradigm Winery, and her wines have since earned multiple 100-point awards and major praise from Robert Parker. Heidi Barrett is married to Bo Barrett, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, and they have two daughters, Remi and Chelsea. She enjoys scuba diving and painting, and she is also a licensed helicopter pilot.