Vintner, Tastemaker, and Entrepreneur

Karen Crouse

Karen Crouse and her husband, Greg, have called Napa Valley home since 1991. In 2007, they purchased a vineyard on Mount Veeder, where Karen took the lead, becoming one of the few female grape growers in the region.

Karen is deeply rooted in Napa Valley’s farming community, particularly on Mount Veeder. For 15 years, she has been an active member of the Mount Veeder Appellation Council, contributing her expertise in marketing.

Her 16-year tenure at American Express allowed her to work closely with wineries, restaurants, hotels, and retailers across Napa and Sonoma Valleys. These business relationships have blossomed into enduring friendships, now over 30 years strong.

Karen’s extensive professional experience in sales, marketing, PR, branding, and Six Sigma has been invaluable in launching and managing her businesses.

Her company, Mount Veeder Magic Vineyards, is the only one offering Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon for private cellars.

Karen is also known for her Napa Valley Life Magazine series, “Cooking with Karen Crouse,” now in its third year. For fourteen years, she was the guest chef at the renowned Hurley’s Restaurant in Yountville for their Mardi Gras celebrations.

Karen draws inspiration from her vineyard and her 100-year-old farmhouse on Mount Veeder. Her passions include food and wine, entertaining, cooking, nature, Pilates, home décor and renovation, and embracing the beauty of life in Napa Valley.

Winemaker

Jeff Fontanella

Jeff Fontanella, our winemaker, has been making wine in Napa Valley for over 10 years. A graduate of the University of California at Davis he holds a degree in Viticulture and Enology. Jeff began his winemaking career working in the cellars of Opus One and ZD. Soon after, he took a position at one of Napa’s great cult wineries, Saddleback Cellars. At Saddleback Jeff sharpened his winemaking skills under the tutelage of Nils Venge, whom Robert Parker named one of the 20 most influential winemakers in the world. While challenged with the task of producing wines from 13 different varietals, Jeff was able to display his versatility as a winemaker, matching different winemaking techniques with specific vineyards in order to achieve the wines full potential.

Throughout his career, Jeff has crafted wines that have received several 90+ point ratings from Robert Parker, the Wine Spectator, and the Wine Enthusiast. He was featured as one of “The Next Napa Superstars” by Vinography.com at the 2008 Aspen Food and Wine Classic. His wines made a repeat visit at the 2009 Food and Wine Classic, when the Fontanella Family Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon was highlighted.