Laura Oskwarek is an Easterner who has taken Horace Greeleys advice, “Go West, young [wo]man, and grow up with the country.” Originally from Connecticut, she completed B.S. degrees in biology and chemistry at Simmons College—now University—in Boston in 2004. During her undergraduate years, Laura’s focus had a focus on microbiology, and research she did in this area in collaboration with Proctor & Gamble formed the basis of her thesis on cross contamination.

After graduating, Laura embarked on a pathway that would lead to a career in medicine by joining the Yale School of Medicine as a microbiology research assistant. However, she fell in love with “the warmth and bonding that happened at home and the dinner table over a bottle of wine” while continuing her medical education in Denmark. Immediately upon her return to the States, she enrolled in the Enology and Viticulture program at the University of California, Davis, earning a master’s degree in 2008.

While at Davis, she completed two internships in the Napa Valley, one at Nickel & Nickel Vineyards and another at Schramsberg Vineyards. Laura then became part of the winemaking team at Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars in April 2009, first as enologist and then associate winemaker five years later. She was promoted to production winemaker in early 2018 and to winemaker for Silver Oak Napa Valley in January 2020. Her most recent promotion was to Director of Winemaking for Silver Oak Cellars.

In her current role, Laura will oversee winemaking operations at both the Alexander Valley and Napa Valley facilities. The wines being produced Cabernet Sauvignons from both regions, products for which Silver Oak is well known.