Aviatrix Wine (Co-Winemaker & Co-Owner)

Materra-Cunat Family Wines (Director of Winemaking)

Chelsea Barrett grew up in Calistoga, California, as a part of a well-known winemaking family. Not surprisingly, she began working in vineyards and wineries from a young age. She attended the University of California, Davis, graduating in 2010 with a degree in Viticulture and Enology.

An interest in Riesling and Grüner Veltliner (as well as the opportunity to live in Vienna) brought her to work at at Weingut Mayer am Pfarrplaz in Austria. She next interned in the cellar at Two Hands in Barossa Valley, Australia, and developed a love of Rhone varietals. Returning to Napa, she interned at Opus One, and then started as enologist at Joel Gott wines in 2012, became assistant winemaker there in 2013, and was promoted to winemaker in 2017. Chelsea joined the team at Napa Valley’s Materra Cunat Family Vineyards and is now its Director of Winemaking.

In 2017, Chelsea collaborated with her mother, winemaker Heidi Barrett, as co-winemaker for Amuse Bouche and Au Sommet. She, Heidi, and Remi Barrett (Chelsea's sister) also launched the collaborative brand Aviatrix, which is "dedicated to the intrepid women throughout the history of aviation, who surpass society’s expectations and limitations to soar to new heights." Grenache is the first varietal released under this brand name.

Chelsea lives in Calistoga with her husband, two children, and a very energetic husky-shepherd mix. In her free time, she enjoys working on her house and garden, cooking, skiing, scuba diving, reading, and handicrafts.