Roads Less Traveled, Female-Owned Itinerary

There are two main drags in the Napa Valley that run roughly parallel – Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. There are many incredible Napa Green wineries (easily identifiable with their green Napa Green Certified signs) right off these roadways. But this itinerary will take you to tucked away spots run by some powerhouse women, deeply dedicated to the stewardship of the Napa Valley.

Julie Johnson’s property is tucked away in Rutherford at the foot of the Mayacamas mountain range, sitting atop the rich soils of the Rutherford bench. A visit to Tres Sabores is a visit to authentic Napa Valley. The small Napa Green Winery and organic vineyards look out across the valley. Julie has over 50 year old Zinfandel vines, and if she’s around she’ll likely head down a vine row, pull up some cover crops and talk about how they’re feeding the soil, and how they might feed you in a salad. Sit under the 100-year-old olive grove and sip some Sauvignon Blanc, Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon and Por Qué No, a juicy red blend. Maybe dip into her small wine cave, one of the smallest you’ll see in the Valley. 

Tres Sabores puts sheep, guinea hens, chickens (and golden retrievers) to work in the vineyard. They’ve installed bluebird boxes and are part of a study of the insect-eating benefits of bluebirds. Their pomegranate trees attract hummingbirds, which also eat insects as a significant part of their diet. Julie is incredibly thoughtful about every element of their environmental footprint. Visit for the lovely, well-priced, high-value wines and know that you’ll have a hard time leaving this special property.

Delia Viader (vee-uh-dare) originally hails from Argentina but she’s been making some of the Napa Valley’s most coveted red wines for decades. Her son Alan has taken the winemaking reins and now his sons sometimes help out in the cellar as well. Their family property is halfway up Howell Mountain, with gorgeous views across the valley to Spring Mountain. They not only make quintessential Cabernet Sauvignon, but also one of my favorite varieties, Cabernet Franc. As with all three of these wineries, Viader is quite small production and it’s hard to find their wines outside of the winery. 

When Alan isn’t making wine he’s also serving as a volunteer firefighter. Their property served as a staging ground to fight the Glass Fire back in 2020. Their forested land didn’t escape unscathed but the Napa Green winery, hillside wine caves, and family home all made it through. This family operation cares deeply about the future of the Napa Valley. They think carefully about green purchasing, saving water and energy, and giving back to the community. You don’t want to miss visiting this mountainside winery.

On the outskirts of St. Helena you’ll find Spottswoode’s Napa Green and organic vineyards and historic stone winery, with a grandmother oak shading the tasting room. Spottswoode was the first certified organic vineyard in the Napa Valley back in 1992. Now, good luck finding a certification they don’t have. Hopefully you’ll have a chance to walk along the vineyards, maybe spot some sheep, and get a glimpse of the family estate gardens and 19th century home. When I was young, I used to look through their leaf covered stone gate, to the green, flower-lined paths and palm trees, and think it was a fairy land. At Spottswoode you’ll enjoy one of the valley’s best Sauvignon Blancs and several estate Cabernet Sauvignons. 

Beth Milliken is a tireless leader who is constantly pushing her peers to greater heights of environmental stewardship and climate action. They started with organic and today they are also both Napa Green Vineyard and Winery certified, B Corp, TRUE Zero Waste, and part of 1% for the Planet. They are one of the founding members of International Wineries for Climate Action, doing detailed annual emissions inventories, which has led them to lighten their glass weight, reduce business trips, and cater employee lunches to avoid packaging waste. You’ll know if you meet Molly Sheppard, who wears a few hats, including Environmental Manager. She has an infectious energy and kindness that helps motivate the Spottswoode team to continuously craft the highest quality wines with the lowest carbon footprint.

About the author

Anna Brittain | Executive Director of Napa Green

Anna is a Napa Valley native. She has worked locally, nationally and internationally on environmental management and policy with organizations ranging from the environmental economics think tank Resources for the Future in Washington, DC to the International Union for Conservation of Nature in Hanoi, Vietnam. She has spent over 13 years facilitating and growing sustainability and climate action in the wine industry, with an expertise in communications and certification standards. Anna has served as a lead consultant with Ontario Craft Wineries, Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia, Crimson Wine Group, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, and individual wineries including Benziger Family Winery.

Anna has helped lead the growth of the Napa Green program since 2015, and stepped into the position of Executive Director of the independent non-profit in fall 2019. In 2022 and 2023, she led the launch of the action-oriented RISE Climate & Wine Symposium (formerly THRIVES), with 70+ expert speakers, 40+ sustainability sponsors, and 750+ guests. 

In 2023, Anna was named by the Wine Enthusiast as a Future 40 Tastemaker, and Wine Business Monthly as a Wine Industry Leader. In 2024, she was included in The Imbibe 75: “People and places that will shape the way we drink in 2024 and beyond.”

Anna has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science & Management from the Bren School at UC Santa Barbara, with specializations in Water Resource Management and Economics & Policy. She has a Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Political Science and Environmental Studies from Williams College.

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