On her winery office wall, Kristy Melton keeps a large black-and-white photograph. The blow-up is a reproduction of a nearly 130-year-old picture of Josephine Tychson, founder of the St. Helena property that would eventually become Freemark Abbey winery. That photo of Josephine isn’t just for decoration. “It reminds me of all of the hard work that went into this place getting to where it is today. It's no small notion, the history of the winery or taking over at this point. And that is by no means lost on me.”
When Ted Edwards was offered the head winemaker job at Freemark Abbey 35 years ago, Napa Valley was on its ascent to becoming a world-class wine region. As Kristy Melton takes the helm of Freemark Abbey, now an established Napa Valley icon located in one of the most idyllic growing regions in the country, she faces new challenges like navigating harvest in the midst of a global pandemic. Though the times may be different, Ted and Kristy share a genuine passion for winemaking, a requisite for bearing the badge of Freemark Abbey Head Winemaker.
