At Melanson Vineyard, we are privileged to work with two of the top talents in the business. Our Vineyard Manager, John Arns, and our Winemaker, Dave Lattin, together bring nearly 50 years of experience growing and making award-winning wines in Napa Valley.

VINEYARD MANAGER - JOHN ARNS

An extremely handy man with a vine, John Arns is one of the Napa Valley's most respected vineyard managers, providing his expertise for several venerable vineyards, including previous work with Caymus. He now oversees all growing operations at Melanson Vineyard as well as nearby Long Vineyards.

Vineyards have been John's passion from the very start.  With degrees from U.C. Davis in viticulture and oenology, he first began tending and nurturing grapes on a property his family had bought in Napa Valley.  These Cabernet vines, planted at 400-800 foot elevations, provided a hands-on education which, by happy chance, now serves him well at the even higher altitudes of Pritchard Hill.

John began his own independent management service nearly two decades ago.  His special interest, like ours, is raising those rare grapes suitable for ultra-premium wines.

WINEMAKER - DAVE LATTIN

“Making wine is about responding to what the vineyard gives you and staying open-minded as a winemaker.”

Dave Lattin grew up in Corvallis, Oregon and received his B.A. in Microbiology from Oregon State University in 1981. Shortly thereafter, he landed his first industry position with Acacia Winery in the Napa Valley where he immediately fell in love with the environment and the work. Determined to gain as much experience as he could, Dave set off for Europe where he developed a profound appreciation for French and German wines. From the vineyards to the cellars in St. Emilion, the oldest wine producing area of the Bordeaux region, Dave immersed himself in the art and craft of winemaking. Upon his return, Dave enrolled at the University of California, Davis earning his Masters in Enology in 1986. After graduating, Dave was hired at Robert Pecota as Enologist where he honed his technical and artistic skills before taking a Cellar Master post at Storybook Mountain. Dave rejoined Acacia in late 1987 as Enologist and was promoted to Winemaker in 1992 and then to General Manager/Winemaker in 1997.

After 11 years of dedicated service, Dave left Acacia in 1998 and founded CL Wines, a consulting and winemaking business. In 2002, the opportunity to become Winemaker at Kuleto Estate presented itself and in 2004, Dave added Melanson Vineyard wines to his repertoire.

OWNER - GREG MELANSON

"When we discovered this beautiful piece of Pritchard Hill in 1988, bordered by well renowned winemaking neighbors, we knew it held a certain magic. Unlocking that magic is the mission and the passion of Melanson Vineyard."

No newcomer to the wine business, Greg has been captivated by and actively involved in the wine business since 1978. After graduating from the University of Southern California, Greg set his sights on owning a piece of Napa. His first vineyard was located near Calistoga, California, where he created his first wine, a 1985 Sauvignon Blanc, under his Melanson Vineyard label. 

Realizing the potential of growing world-class wines in the still little-known area of Pritchard Hill, Greg sold his Calistoga property and in 1988 purchased his current 42-acre vineyard.

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