Organic Viticulture and Winemaking Pro Natalie Winkler Joins Dry Creek's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate; Winery Plans To Convert to Organic Certification

Healdsburg based winemaker and viticulturalist Natalie Winkler has a new job! Formerly at Salvestrin in Napa, where she focused on Cabenrnet, she is now the new head winemaker for Dry Creek's Michel-Schlumberger Wine Estate.

A winery spokesperson confirmed that the estate will now be transitioning to organic certification under Winkler's management. 

A talented organic and biodynamic vineyard farming expert as well as a seasoned winemaker, Winkler  has been viticulturist and winemaker at Salvestrin Estate Vineyard and Winery in St. Helena, where, during her tenure, the family owned winery achieved its first Top 10 wine award from Wine Spectator. 

She'd gone to Salvestrin in Napa to immerse herself in the ways of Cabernet, which complemented her earlier work at Westwood in Sonoma Valley which focused on Rhones and Pinot Noir.

Previous to her time at Westwood, she was at Mill Creek for four years in Dry Creek Valley, where she was starting to move toward organics and reached out to biodynamic consultant extraordinaire Philippe Coderey asking him to mentor her as an apprentice. 

She then took a job at Westwood in Sonoma Valley and convinced the team there to hire Coderey as a consultant.

You can enjoy hearing Natalie on this recent podcast or in this interview on Wine Spectator's podcast. 

I am excited to see another excellent Dry Creek producer planning to go organic–and with Winkler's expert help. Congrats!