Lamborn Scholars

2008 - FIONA SUTHERLAND

Fiona Sutherland has been appointed the association's fifth annual Lamborn Scholar. She is the vineyard manager for E & J Gallo Winery's 450 acres in the Pope and Chiles Valleys, supervised by Mark Oberschulte.

Fiona was born in Berkeley, spent her high school years in Sydney, Australia, then returned to California to attend San Jose State. She had planned to become an airline pilot or engineer, but her green thumb pulled her to UC Davis and the study of viticulture. She has worked with the Sonoma Cotrer Winery and with Sterling Vineyards, for whom she became vineyard manager in Potter Valley. Fiona then spent a year in vineyard finance at Gallo, moved to Cotati to manage 400 acres of Gallo vineyard for five years, and came to Pope Valley last fall.

Fiona and her two Australian Shepherd sidekicks enjoy living at Sun Lake Ranch, owned by Louis M. Martini Winery since the early 1980s and part of Gallo's holdings since 2002.

The scholar program honors the late Bob Lamborn, NVWLA board member who was active in its educational seminars. Fiona will participate in the association's 18th annual Varietal Seminar Saturday, August 23 at CIA-Greystone: "White Winemaking - Techniques and Trends." The 46th annual wine tasting for members will be at Silverado Sunday, August 24. For membership and seminar information: www.napawinelibrary.org.

2007 - EFRAIN BARRAGAN

Efrain will participate in the association's educational events and advise NVWLA on communicating with young winery employees.

Born 28 years ago in Fresno, within a year Efrain moved with his family to the Napa Valley. Raised in the Pritchard Hill area, he helped his father doing viticultural work for Chappellet Vineyards, moving during high school to part time winery production work. While earning his degree at Sonoma State University, Efrain worked at the Brooks Brother store north of St. Helena, advancing to manager.

Efrain's return to the wine business began part time at St. Clement, then he joined the Casa Nuestra staff as a sales and marketing assistant and part of the tasting room team. Efrain has enjoyed pouring at past tastings at Silverado, and looks forward to meeting members at this year's event August 12.

2006 - MICHAEL TUMILTY

Michael Tumilty will serve as the 2006 Bob Lamborn Scholar for the Napa Valley Wine Library Association. Michael will participate in the association's educational events and advise NVWLA on how to serve and attract young winery employees.

Born and raised in St. Helena, Michael studied music and in 2002 earned a Summa Cum Laude degree in Computer Information Systems from DeVry University. However, the lure of the grape brought him home, and since 2004 he has been learning the art of winemaking in the labs and cellars of Edgewood Estates, Franciscan Oakville Estates, and Freemark Abbey, and in enology courses at Napa Valley College. He's ready for that first assistant winemaker job!

Michael has moonlighted with "The Maikai Gents," and co-produced a CD of Hawaiian party songs entitled "The Wiki Wiki Grog Shop" with long-time friend and winemaker Judd Finkelstein. Michael's father Richard was rector of Grace Episcopal Church and his mother Joan taught piano to scores of St. Helenans, young and old. Now retired to Grass Valley, the elder Tumiltys have released their own CD of organ and piano classics.

2005 - GARY LONG

The Napa Valley Wine Library Association has chosen Gary Long as its 2005 Bob Lamborn Scholar. The scholar program honors the beloved association officer who died last year. Gary will participate in the association's educational events and advise NVWLA on ways to serve and attract tasting room personnel to its collection.

Gary is St. Helena born, a 1996 graduate of St. Helena High School (track, cross country, jazz choir) and earned his degree in sports broadcasting from Arizona State. He worked in the tasting rooms of Charles Krug, Merryvale, Stonegate and Sterling while concurrently completing the Wine Business Program at Sonoma State. He is now the Napa Sales Representative for Youngs Markets.

2004 - JENNIFER ROSE

For each of the next five years, the association will designate a scholar to participate in all seminars and events and advise as to how the collection can serve and attract tasting room employees and tour guides. This program honors the association director who passed away in April, recognizing his support of education and affection for young people. Jennifer, our 2004 scholar, works in the Special Events Department of COPIA. She was recommended by Craig Root, who organized the wine library orientation last winter for local tasting room employees.