WINEMAKING, FARMING, AND THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THEM
THE HANDS BEHIND ELLMAN
At ELLMAN, we believe the most compelling wines come from a direct connection to place. With the winery opening in 2025, we are entering a new chapter where farming and production will live side by side. This proximity will give our team more precision, real-time decision-making, and the space to explore techniques that deepen the relationship between vineyard and bottle.
ANDY ERICKSON | WINEMAKER
The cellar is led by Andy Erickson, one of Napa Valley’s most respected and humble winemakers. Over the past 30 years, Andy has helped shape some of Napa’s most iconic wines such as Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, Mayacamas, and Ovid. Andy is simply a cornerstone of the community. His work reflects both restraint and integrity. He is a steward of the land and a mentor to the next generation of wine professionals. At ELLMAN, he brings his experience and instinct to a tightly focused program rooted in place, collaboration, and long-term vision.
PATRICK nyeholt | Associate winemaker
Supporting Andy is Patrick Nyeholt, our Associate Winemaker, who has worked alongside him for over a decade. Patrick holds a degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis and has built his skillset through vintages across California, Argentina, and New Zealand. His work balances scientific precision with intuitive blending. Patrick plays a critical role in guiding the wines from fermentation through aging, and his consistency and clarity ensure every vintage meets the standard we expect.
ANSEL RISCH | PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
The cellar team also includes Ansel Risch, a Napa native who trained in Burgundy an worked harvests in Chile and Australia before returning to the valley. Ansel brings a sharp eye for detail, a collaborative spirit, and a deep desire to learn from two of Napa’s most respected winemakers. He brings thoughtful energy to the cellar and adds another layer of perspective to how we approach each lot, each blend, and each vintage.
Dominick Bianco | Viticulturist
In 2024, we welcomed Dominick Bianco to lead our vineyard program. A Napa native with a grounded approach to farming, Dominick brings years of experience managing high-elevation and estate vineyards throughout the valley. Before founding his own vineyard management company, he held key roles at both Seven Apart and Acumen, where he refined his focus on precision farming and site-driven viticulture. Dominick blends data-informed practices with instinct built from time in the field. His work is vine by vine, block by block, using canopy adjustments, irrigation control, and soil health monitoring to bring balance and clarity to the fruit. At ELLMAN, he works closely with the winemaking team to align farming decisions with what’s possible in the cellar, creating a seamless relationship between what’s grown and what’s made.
With new vineyard blocks now planted around the estate winery, Dominick and the winemaking team work closely to align viticulture with production intent. The new winery gives us greater flexibility, control, and creative freedom. It opens the door for slower fermentations, more considered aging timelines, and opportunities to work on small-lot bottlings that highlight micro parcels of the vineyard.
The value of being an estate brand is not just in control, it is in the creative opportunity. When farming and production are rooted in the same place, the distance between idea and execution becomes smaller. Timing becomes sharper. Decisions become more intentional. Art meets science. Intuition meets structure. And each vintage moves closer to expressing what makes this site and this team—unique.