Andrew Hoxsey

Andrew Hoxsey, a fourth-generation grape grower, dedicated his youth to learning the intricacies of the Napa Valley winegrowing business from the ground up. “I’d tag along with my grandfather’s ranch manager as much as he let me. That’s where I learned how to t-bud a vine.” After earning a degree in Agricultural Economics/Business Management from U.C. Davis, Andrew followed his passion for flying, serving two years in the U.S. Air Force and later becoming a Reserve Officer and pilot for Bank of America. However, the allure of the Napa Valley wine grape business proved irresistible. In 1984, he returned to the valley to work alongside his grandfather, Andrew Pelissa, who had amassed 635 acres of wine grapes.

Through the family business and his role on the Board of the Napa Valley Cooperative, a member-based organization crushing a significant portion of Napa Valley’s grapes, Andrew experienced the constant fluctuations of the grape and wine business. Early on, he recognized a shortage of winemaking facilities in Napa Valley, particularly during plentiful vintages when growers had no place to crush their grapes. To safeguard his family from such challenges, he organized the Pelissa family’s purchase of the historical Oakville winery in 1993, later known as the Napa Wine Company.

Over the next few years, Andrew completely renovated the winery, creating space for his family to make wine and establishing one of Napa Valley’s first custom crush facilities for processing premium quality grapes. “There were so many new producers coming to Napa Valley, but not all of them had the capital to build their own facilities. Napa Wine Company became the incubators for these brands, many of which made great names for themselves and went on to establish their own wineries.” Today, Napa Wine Company continues to serve as a brand “incubator,” and under Andrew’s leadership, the Pelissa family produces wines under the Ghost Block Estate Wines portfolio. Assuming leadership, his two daughters, Kendall and Morgaen, actively  contribute to the family business.