Tom Meadowcroft

Every soil tells the story of its people, their place, and their culture. It is from this culture that springs creations, like wine. These anthropological stories fascinate Tom Meadowcroft. Why did a wine blend originate in a small village in France with four grape varieties and not six? Anthropology, agriculture, and alchemy combine to form the foundation of Tom’s work with wine. He constantly explores, creates, and brings to his customers the cultural heritage of European wine styles, while infusing his wines with the exuberance of California’s innovation in winemaking. In 1979 when he was 19 years old, Tom traveled to Bordeaux, France, for three months to work harvest and learn how to make wine.

When he arrived in mid August with little money, he discovered everyone was on vacation. He found a vigneron who suggested he get some experience under his belt by picking apples, so he did. When everyone returned from vacation, Tom went from château to château looking for work until he was hired at Château Bergeron in Sauternes. He stayed in France until the end of October, absorbing everything he could about the world of winemaking and winegrowing. This fateful harvest in Bordeaux ignited what would later become Tom’s lifelong passion. Upon returning to the U.S, Tom earned his political science degree at the University of Washington, then took it upon himself to learn more about grape growing and winemaking. However, to survive financially, he entered the family business, home building and remodeling.

While he was a leader in this field, he could not stop thinking about his dream. In 1995, Tom finally followed his heart and began making wine on Vashon Island in Washington with Chris Camarda, founder of Andrew Will Winery. However, the winter freeze of January 1996destroyedmost of that year’s crop. A few months later, Tom moved to Napa, California, where he landed a fortuitous role making wine with California winegrowing legend, Ric Forman, founder of Forman Vineyard and founding winemaker at Sterling Vineyards and Newton Winery. While working for Ric, he enrolled in viticulture classes in the extension program at UC Davis, but realized that he needed more education, so he completed his Viticulture and Winery Technology degree at Napa Valley College under program head, Steve Krebs. In 1997, Tom became a vineyard manager for Buckland Vineyard Management, where he worked with some of Napa Valley and Sonoma’s premier wineries like Cakebread, Duckhorn, Far Niente, Luna, Mondavi, Opus One, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, and Saintsbury.

The passion and expertise of his peers at these esteemed wine estates inspired Tom to establish his own winery. In 1999, Tom purchased a vineyard on Mt. Veeder in Napa Valley, replanted the vineyard, and four years later, in 2003, he launched Meadowcroft Wines. Tom’s first wine releases from the Mt. Veeder Vineyard were the critically acclaimed 2004 and 2005Meadowcroft Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, the flagship wine of his portfolio. He also sources grapes from passionate growers – former and new clients – that adhere to his passionate standards of quality and sustainability. In 2024 Meadowcroft celebrates 20 years of winemaking under Meadowcroft Wines. European varietals with California creativity.