Marco DiGiulio
  Winemaker

It may be the soil, the sunshine, the altitude or the age of the vines that gives a special quality to a fine wine. But that quality also comes from the skill of the winemaker, and the tools he uses to coax maximum flavor and elegance from newly harvested grapes.

With his home and his family firmly planted in the heart of wine country, 41 year-old Marco DiGiulio is a winemaker whose craft is steeped in the culture of wine. As such, he brings a rich history of Napa Valley winemaking and excellence to the blend at Girard

Marco is a native San Franciscan who graduated with a degree in winemaking from the University of California, Davis in 1985. He subsequently worked at Pine Ridge, Atlas Peak and Pezzi King wineries prior to moving to Robert Pepi and later Lakoya in 1997, where he took over the reins of ailing winemaker Greg Upton, who passed away that year. The two winemakers’ collaboration yielded a Cabernet Sauvignon that received an unprecedented 98 points in Wine Spectator. It set a standard by which Marco now regularly measures himself.

"Every wine should be an expression of the best that a vintage offers," the winemaker says. "That’s what I aim for each year. At Girard, I work with high quality grapes that most winemakers can only dream of. The same quality extends to what goes into our bottles."

Now in his sixth vintage at Girard, Marco has caught the attention of wine critics throughout the nation. His wines continue to receive critical accolades from renowned writers and critics, who have praised his skill in the cellar and his magic in the bottle. The winemaker also makes a limited amount of wine under his own Marco DiGiulio label.

Marco lives in Calistoga - at the northern edge of Napa Valley - with his wife, Maria, and his son, Dario.