Chris Kajani

President & Winemaker

Bouchaine Vineyards

Napa, CA

Chris is a proud Napa native who grew up raiding her parents’ wine cellar and riding the neighbors’ horses (though not necessarily in that order). She started her career in biotech, but wine drew her inevitably home. A few too many trips to European wine regions led to wistful dinner party comments, which led to working harvests—and she was back at UC Davis for a Masters in Viticulture and Enology before she knew it.

Like the Copelands, Chris fell hard for Burgundian wines, and she built her winemaking career around crafting worthy California cousins. After almost a decade working with Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as Saintsbury’s winemaker, she joined the Bouchaine family as head winemaker and general manager in 2015. Today, her passion and authenticity set the tone for her team. Pick for flavor. Get serious about the details. Don’t take shortcuts. And above all, enjoy the wine.