New Retail Sales Manager Proves to be Talented Home Winemaker

Stephen Pavy, the brainchild behind the hospitality staff’s winemaking project (see front page article), is JPV’s handsome and affable manager of retail sales and wine education. Stephen came to work in June after having been a 10-year fan of JPV wines and Phelps Preferred club member.

His eclectic background includes a philosophy degree from Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana; a Master of Divinity from Yale University; and a 9-year career as a United Methodist minister. He also held various administrative posts with the University of Virginia and University of Chicago before moving to California in 1996 and working in the software industry.

“The first winery I visited when I got here was JPV,” he explains. “Every time I came to pick up some wine, I’d ask Molly Britton [JPV’s hospitality director] if there were any job openings. Eleven years later, after working at another winery, taking enology classes and making my own wines, Molly finally said yes!”

In 2001, after moving to Sonoma County, Stephen decided to take time off to remodel his house and install a small vineyard on his 5 1/3 acre property. Today he has 245 vines planted on 1/3 acre and 140 olive trees. In July of this year, the Valley of the Moon Dilettante Enological Society—a home winemaking club in Sonoma County—awarded Stephen two Best in Shows for his red and white home-made wines, the former a Sauvignon Blanc and the latter a Cabernet-based blend.