Kathy Joseph | |
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Born | |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | University of California Davis |
Occupation(s) | Winemaker, entrepreneur, wine consultant |
Known for | Fiddlehead Cellars |
Kathy Joseph is a Californian winemaker and entrepreneur, founder of Fiddlehead Cellars in Santa Maria, California. [1] She is one of the first female winemakers to open her own winery in Santa Barbara County and her Fiddlehead Cellars is featured in the movie Sideways. [2] [3] [4]
Originally from the Chicago area, Joseph received a Bachelor of Science degree in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. [5] She then moved to California in the late 1970s to begin a career in the wine industry. [6] After working in several wineries, she attended graduate school in Enology at the University of California, Davis. [6] After graduation in 1984, she spent five years at Robert Pecota Winery as Head Winemaker. [6]
In 1989, Joseph opened her own winery, Fiddlehead Cellars in Lompoc, California. [7] [2] This was an unusual place to open a winery at the time, and Joseph was a pioneer as both a female winemaker and on account of her location choice. [3] She focused on the then lesser-appreciated varieties of wine - Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. [6] Fiddlehead [8] celebrated its 25rd vintage in 2013 and is distributed among restaurants and through a wine club. [9] Her wine has won various awards, to include San Francisco Chronicle's Top 100 Wines in 1999, 2000, and 2001. [10] [11] [12]
Joseph has taught classes at Napa Valley College and UC Davis, [13] and her Fiddlestix wine was featured in a scene in the movie Sideways. [14] [4]