Kirk Grace

Director of Vineyard Operations

Kirk Grace knew from an early age that he wanted to be a farmer. But it wasn’t until he graduated from Cal Poly with a B.S. degree in Crop Science that he decided to work in viticulture.

After college, Kirk worked at St. Supery Vineyards and then Bettinelli Vineyard Management, overseeing project planning, designing pest control programs and developing new vineyard acreage. In 1997, he joined Robert Sinskey Vineyards as Vineyard Manager. In his nine years there, Kirk designed and implemented a plan to manage all of Sinskey’s vineyard operations in house.

He was hired in 2006 as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ Director of Vineyard Operations. In this position, Kirk oversees Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ 142 acres of estate vineyards. Under his leadership, these historic estate vineyards – FAY, S.L.V. and B.R.V. – became Napa Green certified in 2010. “At Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, we take a qualitative vs. a quantitative approach,” says Kirk. Kirk is currently leading efforts to make the estate vineyards Certified Organic by 2024.

Kirk is active with several sustainable viticulture groups and programs including the Napa Valley Grapegrowers Industry Issues Committee, the Oak Knoll Pierces Disease Task Force and the Saint Helena High School Ag Boosters. He is also an active volunteer with the Napa County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue team.