Lauren Kopit has parlayed her love of art and science into her career as a winemaker. She grew up in Southern California and earned a B.S. degree in Microbiology in 2009 from the University of California, Davis, and enhanced her academic credentials by completing an M.S. in Viticulture & Enology there in 2013.

As she neared completion of her undergraduate degree, Lauren had no firm idea of what her professional career would be, but a Fall harvest internship at Franciscan Estates in the Napa Valley after graduating. She was “hooked” on the wine industry as a result the experience.

After a year as a laboratory technician with Matchbook Wine Company, she opted for the graduate program at U.C. Davis. With her master’s degree in hand, she worked the Fall 2013 harvest at Odette Estate Winery in the Napa Valley, and followed this with a brief stint as enologist for the California Concentrate Company in Lodi. Lauren then went to the Southern Hemisphere, where she was a cellarhand for Church Road Winery in the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

Returning to California, she was appointed as interim assistant winemaker at Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga in mid-2014 and became assistant winemaker there in mid-2015. Less than three-years later, Lauren was named winemaker at Sterling, her current position. Her winemaking philosophy is, in her own words, “to respect and highlight the qualities and personalities of the fruit and make wines that are going to make lasting memories.” In this context, she is crafting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.

Outside of the winery, Lauren is an avid oil painter and amateur photographer. As she says, ““The art of winemaking taps into a familiar creative process like painting.” I feel very lucky that I get to use both my love of science and my creativity on a daily basis.” In addition, she enjoys sports, reading good books, and sharing a glass of wine with friends.