These power players are shaping the future of Napa Valley wine

Duckhorn Vineyards’ stock market debut in 2021 marked the first time in decades that a Napa Valley winery had attempted an initial public offering. (Its ticker symbol is absolutely iconic: NAPA.) The figurehead leading that launch, CEO Alex Ryan, started working at Duckhorn in the 1980s as a high school student and, returning after college, subsequently rose in the ranks.

Even before going public, Duckhorn was a formidable power player, growing from a homey family-owned winery known for Merlot into a varied portfolio of brands stretching across California, like Goldeneye, Migration, Paraduxx and Decoy, plus Canvasback and Greenwing in Washington. (There’s a duck theme, if you couldn’t tell.) In the last 10 years, Ryan oversaw the acquisitions of two A-list Pinot Noir producers, Sonoma County’s Kosta Browne and the Central Coast’s Calera, adding to its clout in the luxury market. Lately, however, Duckhorn is doubling down on its original home turf, Napa Valley. It spent $14.3 million in January to acquire three new parcels of land, including part of Stanly Ranch, the location of the valley’s latest high-end resort. (It also grabbed a 289-acre ranch in Paso Robles (San Luis Obispo County) in May.) Given that shareholders of public companies tend to demand constant growth, it’s unlikely that Duckhorn will slow down anytime soon.