Dr. Madiah Revana

FOUNDER

As I reflect on the past, I have accomplished much in life due to a nurturing and supportive family, self-discipline, and a determination to give maximum effort to everything I undertake.

It started with a commitment to learning and education. I moved away from home at a young age to live with my brother so I could focus on my studies. I was fortunate to live with another brother while in university so I could continue to study hard. I discovered a passion for cardiology and received a scholarship to attend Mysore Medical College, one of the best medical schools in India. My dedication and their sacrifice paid off, and I graduated medical school as Valedictorian in a class of 224 students.

I was accepted for a three-year residency in internal medicine in New York. This was an uncommon accomplishment because international medical school graduates were required to spend four years in residency. After New York, I held positions in Philadelphia and Dallas and then joined a private medical practice in Houston. I learned about wine from fellow physicians, which became my hobby.

I started looking for a vineyard in Napa Valley and wanted raw land to develop it from scratch and learn about grape growing. I purchased a beautiful place on the west benchland in Saint Helena and recruited winemaker Heidi Barrett and viticulturist Jim Barbour. We planted it in 1998 and our inaugural release of 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon was featured in 2004 Cabernet issue of Wine Spectator. Our 2007 vintage was named the #4 wine in the world.

My love for Burgundies led me to Oregon and winemaker Lynn Penner Ash in 2005 where I came across a property in its third leaf. We built a winery and hospitality center and named it Alexana after my daughter.

I went on a wine country adventure to Argentina in 2008 to taste the local wine and visited The Vines of Mendoza in the Uco Valley. The region was intriguing – alluvial soils in high altitude, yet a temperate climate. We opened Corazón del Sol winery in 2014 and produced our first vintage. I later became the first vintner to produce GSM Rhône varietals in Argentina.

Within ten years, I created thriving wineries in three of the world’s most collectible wine regions. I continue to be inspired and contemplate the future.