OUR TEAM
THOSE WHO SHAPE IT
At the core of our philosophy is a deep affection we all share for this estate. It is our inspiration, our motivation, our work and our play. Meet the people whose care gives Skipstone its character.
Proprietors
Fahri & Constance Diner
For Constance and Fahri, Skipstone is a devoted partnership with the earth. A native of Cyprus, Fahri feels an instinctive connection to the estate’s olive groves and Mediterranean light, reminders of the landscape in which he grew up. His years as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist shaped his ability to see what a place could become; at Skipstone, that vision is grounded in a commitment to wines of lasting quality and artistry.
Constance brings a European perspective shaped by roots in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, and a career devoted to quality and thoughtful presentation. A graduate of Centre International de Glion in Montreux, she led marketing, brand building and events for Cartier, Rolex and Formula 1. Her appreciation for the finer details, and for the fine and fast things in life, finds a natural home at Skipstone.
Their travels continue to bring fresh ideas and inspiration to the estate. Together, their global outlook and shared affection for the land guide its evolution, with an uncompromising commitment to the character of the place they have made their own.
Winemaker
Laura Jones
Laura oversees farming and production at Skipstone’s estate vineyard and winery. Her work begins among the vines, where close observation and detailed farming guide precise decisions in the cellar. The aim is always a wine that speaks clearly of the place from which it comes.
Before joining Skipstone, Laura spent more than a decade developing her craft in California, New Zealand and France, with experience at Aubert Wines, Cliff Lede Vineyards and Domaine Armand Rousseau. Those years exposed her to different climates, vineyards and traditions, while deepening her belief that every site deserves to be understood on its own terms. She holds a biology degree from Pepperdine University and a master’s in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis.
Having followed Skipstone’s evolution for years, Laura arrived with both familiarity and curiosity. That curiosity continues to guide her as she comes to know the land more intimately, season by season and vintage by vintage. She listens closely, responds with precision, and allows the character of Skipstone to lead.
Winemaking Consultant
Philippe Melka
Philippe’s path to wine began with the earth beneath it. While completing his geology degree at the University of Bordeaux in 1989, he took a wine course out of curiosity and recognized a future at the intersection of the two disciplines. In 1991, he earned a master’s in agronomy and enology under terroir specialist Professor Sequin, deepening an interest in the relationship between soil and wine that has guided his work ever since.
Experience at Haut-Brion, Pétrus, Dominus and Badia a Coltibuono followed, before Philippe settled in Napa Valley in 1994. Today, he works with a select group of California vineyards and wineries, drawn to land with a distinctive story to tell.
That promise first brought him to Skipstone in 2006. Two decades later, the relationship continues to grow from the same conviction: understand the land deeply, then give its character the clearest possible expression in the wine. His geological perspective remains an essential part of the estate’s ongoing conversation between vineyard and cellar.
Vineyard Manager
Juan Alcantara
Juan arrived at Skipstone in 2008 and learned the estate from the ground up. The transition to vineyard work was not always easy, yet he reflects that many of the best things in his life followed his arrival here. Today, with a family of his own, he manages the entire property, from the exacting work of the vineyard to the olive orchards and the grounds around the Residence.
His understanding of Skipstone comes from years of close observation and daily work: knowing the land through every season and learning what each part of it needs. He sees the experience that came before Skipstone as preparation for the responsibility he now carries.
For Juan, this remains a dream job. Asked to look five or ten years ahead, he hopes to be doing just what he is doing now. His gratitude for the opportunity is matched by a deep sense of care for the estate’s future. After nearly two decades, that affection is part of the character of Skipstone itself.
General Manager
Patricia Smith
Patricia guides Skipstone as General Manager, bringing together the daily life of the estate, its deeply personal approach to hospitality, and a thoughtful vision for what comes next. Her promotion in 2026 followed the opening of the new estate winery, a chapter she helped bring to life.
Since joining as Estate Director in 2018, Patricia has shaped the way Skipstone welcomes its guests and cares for its private clients. She also led the 2023 redesign and relaunch of the five-bedroom Residence, extending the estate’s hospitality to those who wish to stay and experience its rhythm more fully.
Previously, Patricia worked with Inspirato, managing private estate and destination experiences across Northern California. Raised in Sonoma County, she brings a lifelong connection to its agricultural heritage and the conviction that exceptional hospitality is ultimately personal.
Working closely with Fahri and the team, Patricia helps the estate evolve while preserving the intention, care and sense of place that first brought people to Skipstone and continue to bring them back.
Private Client Director
Jason Heintz
Jason grew up in Napa, in a home surrounded by vineyards. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, he spent a decade in consumer electronics and graphic design in Silicon Valley before his interest in wine brought him home in 2010. As an educator at Groth Vineyards & Winery, he found a natural meeting point for his curiosity, ease with people and love of wine.
In 2013, while serving as Senior Wine Consultant at Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley, Jason discovered Skipstone. He hosted individual tastings for more than twenty small-production wineries and traveled across the country to share their wines with collectors. Skipstone became a particular favorite, and remained so long after his time there.
Following experience with Cardinale and Lokoya, Jason joined Skipstone as Private Client Director in 2017. His work brings together the things that drew him back to wine country: compelling vineyards, thoughtfully made wines, and the lasting relationships that grow from sharing them.
DTC Coordinator
Michael Hildbold
Michael’s career in wine and hospitality has been shaped by the people on the other side of the table. A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, he began at The Ritz-Carlton, developing a lasting appreciation for attentive, personal service. In 2016, he passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Exam, a milestone in his continuing study of wine.
Ten years as a wine director in San Francisco restaurants were followed by nine years at wineries in Napa and Sonoma. Welcoming guests, sharing the stories behind the wines, and getting to know collectors taught him that knowledge matters most when it serves a thoughtful conversation. Listening is as much a part of his approach as explaining what is in the glass.
Michael had admired Skipstone for more than a decade before joining the team. Today, alongside Jason and Patricia, he cares for the collectors and friends at the heart of the estate. It is a natural continuation of work he has always enjoyed: bringing people and wine together, now in a place he knew and appreciated long before calling it home.
Group Sales and Events Manager
Elizabeth Harris
Elizabeth guides group sales and events at Skipstone with an attentive, personal approach to hospitality. Her experience throughout Napa and Sonoma has shaped a belief that the most memorable gatherings grow from an understanding of the people coming together, as well as the place that welcomes them.
From the first conversation through the final farewell, she works closely with guests and the estate team to bring every detail into place. Her care for those details is matched by an ease with people and a commitment to relationships that continue well beyond a single occasion.
At Skipstone, Elizabeth finds a setting naturally suited to gathering. She helps shape private and group experiences around the character of the property and the interests of each guest, giving every occasion its own sense of purpose. A gathering should feel considered without feeling prescribed, and effortless in the moment because of the care behind it.
That is the spirit Elizabeth brings to each welcome: an experience that feels true to Skipstone, and memories guests can carry with them long after they leave.