Julie's wines have consistently achieved over fifty 90 to 95+ scores from critics including Robert Parker / The Wine Advocate, James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Jeb Dunnuck, Wine & Spirits and industry press. Her wines have been awarded "Top Ten" and "Year's Best" lists, "Wine Spectator's "Winery to Watch" and over 50 Sweepstakes, Best of Show, Best of Class and Double Gold for a variety of her "full-bodied, impressive purity, density, richness...high-class" (R. Parker) wine styles. Julie joined Napa Valley's J. Moss Winery team for Chardonnay in vintage 2010 and became consulting winemaker for the growing full wine portfolio in vintage 2012 through the present. Proprietor / Winemaker James Moss noted "Julie has been a great addition to J. Moss as we refine and expand our artisan wine portfolio and sourcing from some of Napa Valley's finest family vineyards." In addition to J. Moss, she is winemaker for another artisan brand launching in 2020 and has made exceptional wines as head winemaker at key estate properties including Windsor Oaks Vineyards & Winery, Ideology, Lake Sonoma / Valley of the Moon and additional consulting winemaker roles at Castello di Montegiove and other private clients. Since 2013, she has been Chair of the Napa / Sonoma Winemaking & Viticulture Roundtable of Women for Winesense. She is a frequent winemaker panelist for Napa Valley Vintners top trade and media conferences and VIP immersions. She serves on the Program Committee for the largest wine industry trade show in North America (Unified Wine & Grape Symposium), Advisory Board of the Innovation + Quality (IQ) Luxury Wine Conference and has served in past years on the Board of Napa Valley Wine Technical Group and several committees of Sonoma County Winegrape Growers. Her wine industry track record is complimented by 15 years as a Fortune 500 brand management senior executive. Her work spanned national oral care products, then food brands, receiving both the American Marketing Association's top honors, National Gold Effie and Gold Edison Awards.
Julie's philosophy is life-long learning. She grew up farming, learning sensory science in her first career, then applying those lessons along with "roll up the sleeves" technical and analytical skills learned from many renowned mentors in the vineyards and cellars while studying in formal continuing education (U.C. Davis, technical organizations and publications). As she launched and grew her first winery, she had the opportunity to sell over 300 tons of grapes per vintage to over 30 different wineries, and was fortunate to make 7 of those clients' wines in her cellar. Combined with her own vineyard and cellar trials, this collective wisdom comparing multiple winemaker's approaches on the same vineyard blocks over 8 vintages was a revelation, deeply informing her style and ongoing trials to this day. Prior to wine industry education, her first alma mater is the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with high honors and a whole lot of Tennessee Volunteer spirit.
“It's a thrill and humbling to be honored by a group that has meant so much for so long. I wish to extend special and deep thanks to some very special WWS members that I have had the privilege of working with over many years as we met, set a vision of growth, self-improvement, retention, overall excellence and a "good chi" style welcoming community fellowship. Cheers and thanks to Lisa Bishop Forbes, who invited me to join in 2009 and then Chair the Napa / Sonoma Winemaking and Viticulture Roundtable in 2013. She supported me making it anew. Respect and love to the other 4 of our "5 Musketeers," in our Roundtable Program Committee since 2016, Melissa Castro, Jennifer Higgins, Alicia Sylvester and Marisa Taylor. Simply one of the greatest teams of doers and joyous souls through good and bad that I've had the privilege to serve with. And of course, our two founders, Michaela Rodeno and Julie Johnson, two people I'm honored to consider mentors and friends. In summary, WWS is a beautiful living vision as relevant going forward as it was in our first 30 years. Helen Keller sums it up best, “Alone, we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Thank you to everyone in WWS so much!”
- Julie Lumgair
Follow Julie on Social Media
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliehaglerlumgair/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=165heXWeZS0&feature=youtu.be
Instagram: @Julie Lumgair
Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/julielumgair/