Our Winemaker

Julien Fayard

Julien Fayard gained his knowledge and defined his core winemaking style from working at grand Chateaux in France such as Lafite Rothschild and Smith Haut Lafitte. In Napa Valley, he’s worked alongside renowned winemaker Philippe Melka. He has come to be a Napa Valley veteran after more than 10+ years working with some of the most highly acclaimed and sought after wines and vineyards of the Napa Valley.

His philosophy is to produce wines that express pure, terroir-driven specificities and characteristics. He believes that as a winemaker, one doesn’t control the wine but rather wine style is the result of a combination of soil, climate and vineyard management. Wine style is a combined expression of the fruit, soil, vines and climate.

“As a winemaker, my job is to bring out the best qualities that the vines have provided. I don’t seek to make a style of wine but more so to make wine that sings of it’s place, it’s history and it’s uniqueness. That’s my goal as a winemaker, to make wines that are pure expressions of their environment and not mask it. Wines with an identity. “

Julien is an entrepreneur with an acute business savvy of the wine industry. He has completed his MBA from top ranking Davis University in Entrepreneurship and Business in addition to his previous winemaking masters degree in France. He brings a dynamic background of quality wine production, business management, winery development and infrastructure.

Julien and Elan met in France while she was studying aboard in the Loire Valley. They moved to Napa after marrying in Provence in 2005. In 2007, they produced and conceived AZUR, their first Azur Rose (150 cases) was and still is produced in the methode provencale style, inspired by Julien’s French culture and wine upbringing in Provence.