After twenty years of working as a winemaker in every corner of the world, Winemaker and General Manager, Todd Graff landed at Calistoga’s Frank Family Vineyards in 2003, just an hour drive over the mountains from his hometown of Petaluma. He has yet to look back.
Graff has played an essential role in Frank Family’s steady growth over the last 17 vintages. At Frank Family, Graff has applied his deep expertise in making both still and sparkling wines to the portfolio and has been an integral player in defining Frank Family’s reputation as a world-class producer of Napa Valley Cabernet and Chardonnay. He directed the construction of Frank Family’s new state-of-the-art winery in 2008, worked
closely with Rich Frank on the acquisition of the historic Wood Ranch Vineyard in Rutherford in 2012, and in 2015 helped Frank Family receive Napa Green certification for both land and winery. In both 2012 and 2017, Frank Family was recognized for its “resounding, across-the-board success” and received the Winery of the Year accolade from the Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine.
Graff was drawn to winemaking at a young age and signed up for an introductory wine course while attending Santa Rosa Jr. College. He then graduated from UC Davis with a degree in plant science and viticulture in 1984.
Upon his graduation, Graff circled the globe working for great producers. He worked in the cellar at Joseph Phelps Vineyards before navigating the steep slate vineyards at Weingut Klaus Schweicher in Mosel, Germany, the sandy soils of Château Yon-Figeac in Saint-Émilion, France, and the decomposed granite and sandstone loam soils at Arrowfield Estate in Australia’s Hunter Valley.
He returned to the Napa Valley in 1987 to work as an Assistant Winemaker at Stag’s Leap Winery. From 1990 to 1995, Graff was the Assistant Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Schramsberg Vineyards, where he honed his craft in making sparkling wines according to the méthode champenoise. During his tenure at Schramsberg, he also served as Technical Director and Winemaker at Caves Transmontanas in Portugal, a
Schramsberg joint venture. Then in 1995, Graff joined Cordoniu in Napa (now Artesa) as Sparkling Winemaker.
When Graff is not at the winery with his chocolate Labrador, Bristol, in tow, he enjoys international travel, hiking, and golf. He is also an avid mountain biker and fly-fisherman.
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