Elizabeth Kester

Elizabeth Kester started her journey to becoming a winemaker by earning a B.S. in Wine and Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, in 2009. After graduating, she completed a harvest internship at Edna Valley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo before joining BevMo! as a wine specialist for an eight-month stint in early 2010.

Elizabeth then accepted a position as enologist with Wente Family Estates in the Livermore Valley. In November 2014, she was named assistant winemaker and then was promoted to winemaker in mid-2016. A further promotion to Director of Winemaking at Wente came in early 2021. There, she oversaw all activities associated with wine production and was also responsible for developing more strategic alignment among viticulture, marketing, and sales.

Elizabeth moved to Buehler Vineyards in the Napa Valley in early 2026. At Buehler, she will be crafting the winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rosé, and red blends.