From Air Force Dreams to Napa Icons: Trevor Duling’s Unexpected Wine Journey

When I recorded this episode, Trevor was the Director and Head Winemaker of the famed Beaulieu Vineyards. And, one of the reasons I ventured into a corporate winery podcast, was that very reason. I wanted to peel back the idea of a such an iconic winery becoming corporate and how much the "Board" had to do with the decision making; in other words, can a winery maintain its boutique expression despite having a huge beauracracy working in the background.

Trevor Durling is now with Darioush and Nate Weiss has taken the helm (recently at Silver Oak).

Trevor Duling is the kind of winemaker who almost ended up piloting B-52s before dedicating his life to the legacy and land of Beaulieu Vineyard—luckily for all of us, he decided that art, science, and agriculture in a glass was a more enduring pursuit than the cockpit. In this episode, you’ll be swept from Trevor Duling’s childhood inspirations, shaped by the tales of his heroic grandfather, into the heart of Napa’s most closely-guarded secrets. Listen as Paul Kalemkiarian uncovers the personal and professional turning points that led Trevor Duling from his Sonoma roots to vintages that tell the story of each growing season—where no two years, and no two glasses, are ever the same.

You’ll learn how history and innovation intertwine in the valley, as Trevor Duling recounts the surprising ways tradition and technology collide in the pursuit of true terroir. Through anecdotes featuring legendary influencers like André Tchelistcheff, listeners gain a portrait of Napa winemaking as a mix of humility, knowledge-sharing, and a relentless drive toward improvement. This is not a simple swirl-and-sniff episode—it’s a study in legacy, land stewardship, and why the best bottles are chapters in an ongoing narrative.

By the end of the conversation, you’ll see why wine is so much more than a drink—it’s a living time capsule that connects us to place, to people, and to history itself.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

• The fascinating ways a winemaker’s upbringing—and a single, memorable tasting of a 1968 Georges de Latour—can alter the course of a life.

• Why the evolution of Napa winemaking is inseparable from the lessons of pioneers like André Tchelistcheff, and what it means to be a steward of land rather than just a producer.

• An eye-opening look at sustainability, the push and pull of trends versus terroir, and how collaboration and a touch of imperfection make for truly great wine.

Pull up a glass and get ready: this journey through Napa is as much about the characters behind the wine as it is about the wine itself.