Dimitri Tchelistcheff
Consultant Winemaker

We are extremely fortunate to have Dimitri Tchelistcheff, a world-class winemaker and renowned international consultant in the fields of enology and viticulture, as our winemaker here at Jarvis.

Dimitri’s winemaking career began over a half of a century ago, in the summer of 1944, when he worked as a lab assistant for his father, André Tchelistcheff, at the Beaulieu Vineyard lab. The following year, Dimitri spent his time both after school and during summer break working in his father’s own lab in St. Helena (the Napa Valley Enological Research Laboratory). It is worth noting that in 2007 André was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. In 1948, Dimitri began studying Viticulture and Enology at The University of California Davis. Until his graduation from Davis in January 1953, he continued to spend his summer breaks working for his father, as a cellar man at Buena Vista Vineyards.

In the early years of his career Dimitri held winemaking positions at Schramsberg, E & J Gallo and Bodegas De Santo Tomas. In 1977 he began working as an independent consultant of viticulture and enology, consulting for such wineries as Beaulieu Vineyard, Christian Brothers, Inglenook, Franciscan, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Conn Creek, and the Ornellaia Estate in Italy.

In the summer of 1988, Dimitri began his consulting relationship with William and Leticia. For the next 4 years, Dimitri assisted in making their first experimental wines. Dimitri continued consulting during the production of the new winery’s first two vintages 1992 and 1993. Impressed with the results of their joint efforts, Dimitri agreed to become the winemaker for Jarvis starting with the 1994 vintage. He continues in that role today.

The use of 100% new oak barrels at Jarvis reflects Dimitri’s emphasis on barrel aging and barrel fermentation. Dimitri is also a firm believer in sur lie aging and the malolactic fermentation of both red and white wines. Over the years Dimitri has assembled a line of truly outstanding ultra premium wines.

Ted Henry
Winemaker

A decade of making wine in the Napa Valley following graduation from the world-renown winemaking program at UC Davis led Winemaker Ted Henry to JARVIS where his job is hands-on, participatory and really about a close relationship with the wine.

A fourth generation resident of California’s San Francisco Bay Area, Ted was raised near San Ramon on a large cattle ranch that has been in his family since the 1940s. Immersed in agriculture since birth, he worked the ranch feeding horses, maintaining the property and even learning to drive a truck when he was just twelve.

It was during high school, however, when Ted Henry had landed his first job outside the family ranch working at a high-end health club cleaning locker rooms, that he became remotely interested in wine. The club members, mostly business executives who became his personal acquaintances over the span of three years, discussed aspects of their lifestyle such as golf, travel, politics, fine dining and wine. With his curiosity piqued, Ted listened, learned and began to casually study wine varietals and vintages.

He started UC Davis as a pre-med major, not even realizing that a “degree in making wine” was possible. After a human anatomy course that left him a bit queasy, Ted immediately realized that a career in medicine wasn’t his passion. Still fond of science, and curious due to his background, he enrolled in his first viticulture and enology class. Completely fascinated with the subject, he received an A+ and changed his major to Fermentation Science, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1999.

Upon graduation Ted landed a harvest job with Trinchero, where he soon became Associate Winemaker while the brand grew from 3,000 to 300,000 cases. Over an eight-year period the company purchased brands such as Folie a Deux and Napa Cellars, and each time Ted took on those winemaking responsibilities ultimately becoming responsible for all of the winery’s Napa Valley appellation brands. That regionally-focused experience led to a position with Artesa Winery in Napa’s Carneros appellation. With diverse experience at mostly large wine companies under his belt, in 2008 he joined JARVIS where he appreciates the focused approach, not being removed from the wine and has the rare opportunity to be close to the wine every day. “At JARVIS I get to work closely with Mr. Jarvis and our long-time consulting winemaker Dimitri Tchelistcheff,” said Ted, “I am immersed in the whole experience from the vineyard to the cellar to meeting our customers. This is very much hands-on. A fun opportunity, and one that a lot of winemakers are seeking in size and scope.”

Ted lives in Napa with his wife and two young children. When he’s not in the cellar, or amongst the vines, he can often be found spending time with his family at Lake Tahoe as he loves skiing, camping and the outdoors.