Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine

Reviving a Napa Valley tradition begun by her father, pioneering winemaker Hanns Kornell of Kornell Champagne Cellars, Paula Kornell is carrying on the family legacy in her own inimitable way with Paula Kornell Sparkling Wine. Growing up on a Napa Valley vineyard meant Paula was always at the table with family and friends. Her father loved bringing home guests for impromptu dinner parties, and her mother, Marilouise, loved cooking simple, beautiful food and trading stories as the wine flowed.

The launch of her own wine brand in partnership with Vintage Wine Estates brings Paula full circle. No longer the little girl who sold prunes, walnuts, and peacock feathers in front of the family tasting room, she is a consultant and community leader with 30-plus years of experience in the wine industry. As principal of Kornell Wine Company, she has consulted with esteemed wine brands and appellations throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties. Deeply connected to her community, she chaired the 1992 Napa Valley Wine Auction, now known as Auction Napa Valley, and served as a co-chair in 2005 and again in 2019. She was 2009 President of the board of directors for the Napa Valley Vintners, filling a position her father held 45 years earlier. She is currently on the boards of Napa’s Queen of the Valley Hospital Foundation and Napa Humane.

Paula creates camaraderie through hospitality. It’s in her genes. Her home is open and easy going, with cut flowers from the garden, homemade jam in the pantry, and rescue dogs and chickens all around. Each glass she pours her guests is a celebration of the everyday beauty and bounty of Napa Valley.