Meet Ron Bartlett | CEO, Founder & Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ron Bartlett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ron, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
For 23 years as a Partner in one of the largest Global Consultancy Firms in the world, I spent my days (and nights) thousands of miles away from home, in hotels, or airports, time and time again, answering the question “Where are you today?”….. with the line “an airport somewhere.” In 2017, with my daughter just off to college, I decided it was time to retire and pursue my dream. At first, I thought this would be nothing more than a post-retirement hobby, it quickly grew and took on a life of its own. That’s when I knew this was going to be something much more than a hobby.

Having been a 30+ year wine enthusiast and avid collector of wines from around the world, I knew that when I decided to step away from my career in business that I would utilize my avid interest in wine collecting and start focusing on my dream of creating a wine, building a wine business and a Brand. That dream, to create a wine and a brand that is highly regarded and sought after, has been realized with the release of the 2022 vintage of the Bartlett Family Vineyards (BFV), Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon this past April. This initial vintage sold-out in six weeks, a further demonstration of the value of a commitment to quality of the wine and being uncompromising in all we do.

Today, Bartlett Family Vineyards is a boutique wine venture and producer of hand farmed and crafted small production Bordeaux influenced wines. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is shaped by its unique location and terroir on Howell Mountain, one of the original sub-appellations in the Napa Valley. The wines produced on the Estate demonstrate the perfect balance of strength and finesse.

Over the past decade, I have focused my attention on my two favorite wine regions—the Napa Valley and Bordeaux, France. In fact, Bordeaux serves as the inspiration for the Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet. This fall we’ll be releasing our second bottling (in addition to our Howell Mountain Estate Cabernet Sauvignon), which will be a true Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Just like our first vintage we are equally excited to add this wine to our portfolio.

I’ve been fortunate to have surrounded myself with a highly talented, experienced and dedicated winemaker, and an equally talented and highly experienced vineyard management team that oversees every aspect of farming this amazing vineyard. I couldn’t have brought BFV to realization without their help.

What should our readers know about your business?
After retiring from a 30+ year career as a consultant and senior finance executive, I thought I’d just slow down and ease into retirement, spending time in the Napa Valley and enjoying my “hobby”. However, the further I got into the process of developing a vineyard, making and marketing/selling a wine and creating a brand, the more excited I became about the possibilities.

What sets us apart is that the wine made from the Estate vineyard comes from one of the most well-known and highly desired/regarded locations (Howell Mountain) in the Valley. This in-turn has lead to a level of interest and demand for our first vintage that I could never have expected.

Having started this venture from scratch, buying the property, permitting and clearing the land, creating a vineyard layout, harvesting our first vintage, barreling and ultimately bottling for sale is what I’m most proud and excited about. The fact that I’ve had the opportunity to have two completely separate and distinct careers in my lifetime is something I could never have imagined but am also extremely proud of.

Each step in the journey has been exciting, challenging and equally gratifying. Taking each day in the process in the same fashion I approached my business career, I always believed that hard work, dedication, commitment, being focused on the goal and executing my plan would lead to success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in the South Bay and having a second home in the Napa Valley, as well as our Vineyard and wine business, we have the best of both worlds, the beach in Southern California and the food & wine culture in the Napa Valley, one of the most important wine regions in the world.

We routinely have friends and family come and stay with us in Napa. It’s a great excuse for us to also pretend we are on vacation with them.

There are so many great restaurants in the Valley, but we make it a point to go to Bistro Jeanty, Bouchon Bistro, Press Restaurant, Angele, La Toque, Torc, Cordeiro’s Steakhouse, Oenotri, Morimoto and Charlie’s whenever we can for dinner. We recently celebrated our respective anniversaries with my family at The French Laundry, which was an amazing experience for all.

For lunch we enjoy going to Charter Oak, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, Gott’s Roadside, Lovina, Brasswood and Mustards Grill to name a few.

Wine tasting and touring wineries in the Valley is a must. I try to support small family-owned wineries as much as possible. Some of my favorites include: Paravel Wines (Jon Jones is the proprietor and is the winemaker for BFV), Arkenstone, Adamvs, Clif Family, Dunn Family Vineyards, Robert Craig Wines, Spottswoode and the Mondavi sisters (Aloft and Dark Matter brands). Besides making great wines, the proprietors/vintners of each of these estates have long histories in the Valley, great stories to tell and they each in their own way have been instrumental in guiding me through the complexities of being a vintner.

Outdoor activities play a large role in the Napa Valley and include everything from hiking, biking, as well as taking in the scenic views for great photo opportunities.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had lots of people who have helped support and mentor me throughout my business career. Each have played a significant role in helping develop the tools and skills I needed to be successful not only in my business career, but now as an entrepreneur.

My wife (Mary) and daughter (Elena) have both played significant roles in supporting me throughout the years, not only in my 30+ year career as a consultant and senior finance executive, but now even more so as I pursued my dream of creating a wine brand. Today, they help in the development and execution of the BFV business strategy. I couldn’t have achieved the success I’ve had without their love and support. I know I can count on them to provide good counsel and insight.

Jon Jones (BFV’s winemaker) and Paul Saviez (BFV’s vineyard manager) have each played critical roles in guiding me through the process of creating a wine ……from vineyard development, harvest, compliance, making of the wine and ultimately marketing and sale of the final bottled wine from the estate.

Each step in the journey has been exciting, challenging, sometimes frustrating, but in the end extremely gratifying. Without the support and encouragement of each of these individuals, I could not have realized my dream.

As we like to say, to make great wine, it takes a village! And, this is just a small portion of that village.

Website: https://bartlettfamilyvineyards.com

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Image Credits
Alexander Rubin Photography