Anthem WineryMt. Veeder, Napa Valley
With a passion for wine and a desire to produce small quantities of handcrafted wines from the most distinctive and promising vineyards in the Napa Valley, Proprietors Julie and Justin Arbuckle formed Anthem Winery in 2009. Anthem’s guiding principal is simple: only the highest quality, from vine to bottle.
PROPRIETORS | Julie and Justin Arbuckle
Julie and Justin met in 1990 while attending the University of California at Berkeley. Before they were married, they first visited Napa Valley in 1996 and quickly fell in love with the natural beauty of the land, vineyards, food, wine, and all of the amazing experiences the Valley has to offer. After they were married in 1999, they honeymooned in Napa Valley and by 2005, they were spending so much time in Napa that they decided to search for a home and vineyard there while expecting their first child. They zeroed in on Mt. Veeder, given its ability to produce some of the best wines they had ever tasted. After finding their Mt. Veeder property at just 400 feet elevation (which fortunately came with a Merlot vineyard, an approved erosion control plan, and a winery use permit), they planted additional vineyard blocks and embarked on starting Anthem Winery. An attorney by background, Julie conducted a scorched-earth search for a winemaker, and wound up hiring the first one to respond – Jeff Ames – as he set the bar extremely high. Julie and Justin have grown Anthem Winery since its inaugural 2009 vintage, always increasing its sustainability along the way and hope to build a Napa Green winery and tasting room adjacent to their vineyards in the near future.
WINEMAKER | Jeff Ames
Jeff took an indirect path to become one of the best winemakers in Napa Valley. Born in Germany, but raised with a Southern upbringing in Alabama, Jeff attended the University of Alabama and received a degree in History. It wasn’t until he was working on his Masters in Education at the University of Memphis and working at a small wine shop to earn extra money, when he caught his first glimpse into the world of wine and was immediately captivated. After putting his degree on hold, he completed his first harvest with Penner-Ash in Oregon and moved to the Napa Valley shortly after. In 2001, he began working as Assistant Winemaker under Thomas Brown on projects including: Schrader, Mayback, Outpost, and TOR. In 2003, he took over as Head Winemaker for TOR, where he continues to make critically acclaimed wines from some of California’s most notable vineyards. In 2005, Jeff realized his dream and launched his own brand, Rudius Wines. Jeff started at Anthem Winery in 2009, and has been making ultra-premium Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc for Anthem ever since.
VINEYARD MANAGER | John Anthony Truchard
Since John was a toddler, he has spent much of his time in vineyards. His father, Tony Truchard, began developing vineyard property in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley in 1974. John learned about grape growing first hand from some of the best vintners of that period, including: his father, Warren Winiarski, Joe Heitz, and Andre Tchelistecheff. After graduating from UC Davis, John began a small vineyard management business in the mid 1990’s and began farming for others who were focused on small-lot, high quality wine growing. Today, John managers roughly 25 small, high-end vineyards and is honored to work with some of the best winemakers in the Napa Valley. An accomplished vintner in his own right, John also owns and operates John Anthony Vineyards and JAM Cellars. John has been managing Anthem Winery’s Estate Vineyards since 2007 when he helped Anthem plant 5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot in addition to the existing Merlot vineyard.
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