Audrie Walsh was born and raised in California’s Mojave Desert, among creosote bushes and the occasional sonic boom from the nearby Naval Air Weapons Station. A competitive spirit instilled during childhood and a fascination with the natural world helped lay the groundwork for her career in winemaking.

After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine, Audrie began working in the lab and cellar at Estancia Estates, where her interest in the art and science of winemaking first took hold. She later traveled to the University of Adelaide in South Australia to earn a Master’s in Oenology.

Her path through the wine industry brought her to several respected wineries including Robert Mondavi Winery and Louis M. Martini Winery, followed by several years at Treasury Wine Estates working with labels such as Beringer Vineyards, Chateau St. Jean, and Beaulieu Vineyard. She later joined the Bundschu Company, contributing to wines from Gundlach Bundschu Winery and Abbot’s Passage before joining V. Sattui Winery.

Now serving as Winemaker at V. Sattui, Audrie helps lead the estate’s expansive portfolio, balancing scientific precision with creative expression in the cellar. Her approach favors thoughtful, minimal intervention techniques that preserve the purity and balance of the fruit.

Audrie lives in Napa with her husband Richard and their two young children. Much of her free time revolves around family adventures, park outings, and visits to her husband’s homeland of Ireland—though as she jokes, “Too bad you can’t grow grapes there!”

Beyond wine, Audrie is a creator in many forms. She is a songwriter and musician, enjoys pottery, and recently launched a nonprofit science club designed to spark curiosity in children ages 3–7. Colleagues often describe her as creative, analytical, and a calming force during the intensity of harvest. Working with the winery’s wide range of varieties sourced from world-class vineyards, she says, is “a winemaker’s dream.”