CEO of Napa winery Domaine Carneros to step back from the role

Eileen Crane, CEO and head winemaker at Domaine Carneros, announced plans Wednesday to step down from her CEO post this summer.

The winery is located entirely within the Carneros winegrowing between Napa and Sonoma counties.

The winery stated that Crane plans to continue as lead sparkling winemaker through 2020 harvest and cuvée blending. Eventually, the role of sparkling winemaker will be take over by Zak Miller, a member of the winemaking team there for about a decade, working with pinot noir Winemaker TJ Evans.

The winery stated Claude Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger, hired Crane to develop the winery in 1987.

Prior to joining Domaine Carneros, Crane was hired in 1984 to construct Gloria Ferrer Winery and make their its cuvées. Her first job in the wine industry was as a tour guide at Domaine Chandon.

Champagne Taittinger President Director General Pierre Emmanuel Taittinger stated in the announcement, 'From the time my uncle Claude interviewed Eileen till today, for the past 33 years, she has been a guiding, steady and creative hand at the helm of Domaine Carneros. It is an internationally renowned brand due to her commitment to excellence and ability to create memorable and elegant wines.'

Crane stated, 'My dream from the age of eight was to make delicious sparkling wine. From a little girl in New Jersey through a path of many adventures with twists and turns, eventually I found the career that has been more than a dream come true. And it has been a great pleasure to work with the Taittinger family for 33 years.'

The six estate vineyards total approximately 400 acres with 125 acres planted in chardonnay, 225 acres planted to pinot noir, with the remaining acres currently in development. The winery focuses on making ultra-premium Carneros sparkling wines largely estate grown and limited production pinot noirs.