Tina Mitchell’s interest in wine developed while attending college. Her first two years at the University of California, Davis were spent as a premed student, following in the footsteps of her pediatrician father and her mother, a registered nurse. During her third year, a friend from her hometown of Ukiah, California, opened a winery and introduced Tina to wine. Tina enrolled in a class in Enology & Viticulture at UC Davis, worked a harvest in Paso Robles at Estrella River Winery, and immediately knew she had found her career path.

She married in 1981, moved to Napa, and worked a harvest at Rutherford Hill Winery. After harvest, she finished her last quarter at Davis and received her degree in 1982. Tina then worked at Louis Martini and Niebaum Coppola, where she got to work with celebrated winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff. Andre taught her the importance of being a ‘hands-on’ winemaker.’

In 1991, Tina went to work at William Hill Winery in Napa. During her 12 years there, she rose from lab enologist to winemaker. Since joining Palmaz in 2003 as its winemaker, Tina has had a hand in all of the winery’s viticultural and winemaking decisions. Varietals produced by Palmaz include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling.