ST. HELENA, Calif. – December 16, 2020 – The Chappellet family is proud to announce the appointment of Leslie Sullivan as the new marketing director of Chappellet. Sullivan comes to Chappellet from Huneeus Vintners, where she spent the past five years as the winery’s portfolio marketing director. As the marketing director for Chappellet, Sullivan will work alongside the Chappellet family and Managing Director David Francke to guide the winery’s marketing program, including its brand strategy and all communications. With extensive experience in both luxury wine marketing and sales, Sullivan will also contribute her expertise to strategic planning for the storied Pritchard Hill winery, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
After graduating from UC, Berkeley, Sullivan began her career at Treasury Wine Estates, where she rapidly rose through the ranks, beginning as marketing assistant and ultimately attaining the position of trade marketing manager for the company’s luxury portfolio. After a decade at Treasury Wine Estates, Sullivan joined Huneeus Vintners in 2015, where she spent five years overseeing marketing for a portfolio that included Quintessa, Faust, Flowers, Leviathan, Benton-Lane and Illumination.
“Leslie is the ideal fit for our family-run winery. She understands what drives us, and what matters to our customers,” says Chairman Cyril Chappellet. “Not only does she embrace the values that have served us so well for the past half century, she relishes the challenge of making us even better. She is a leader with a proven track record of success working with luxury brands. We are excited to add her knowledge, experience and innovative spirit to our team. She will be a valuable member of our leadership team as we look to the next 50 years.”
“Few families in Napa Valley have the same storied history and connection to a world-class property.” says Sullivan. “What the Chappellet family has achieved on Pritchard Hill, and their focus on mountain wines, has helped define the landscape of great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I am excited to share the Chappellet story, and to introduce Chappellet to new generations of wine lovers.”
Sullivan was hired after a successful executive search by The Cypress Group.
About Chappellet
In 1967, on the advice of legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff, the Chappellet family settled on the steep slopes of Pritchard Hill and founded Chappellet, becoming just the second post-Prohibition winery in Napa Valley. As pioneers of high-elevation vineyard planting, Chappellet has earned acclaim for crafting benchmark wines with an emphasis on mountain-grown Cabernet Sauvignons, while establishing Pritchard Hill as one of the world’s great wine regions. In 2017, Chappellet celebrated its 50th anniversary as a family-owned-and-operated winery, and crafted its debut vintage of the Chappellet Grower Collection, which is dedicated to exploring cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from Sonoma County.
