About Us
The dream of making our own wine label wasn't thought up overnight, it is the sum of years of working and learning around the world. We finally decided that all of these winemaking lessons can be best put to use as inspiration for our own wines, and that we can share our wonderful experiences with you through them.
We hope to make wines that are delicate yet interesting, classic but unique and forward-thinking. Most of all, we hope they will bring you great enjoyment in every bottle!
Our Story
In Napa, California, 2020 was a year plagued by fires, a pandemic, and social isolation, but all that wasn’t enough to keep Victoria and David from coming together. Even though they were approaching their careers from very different directions, a common love for wine had them envisioning an exciting future together. As the first vintage of Spearhunter Chardonnay made from Sonoma county fruit matured in barrels, so too did their plans and ideas for the future. “Let’s challenge ourselves to put together all that we know and make something special to share with friends and family, then continue to grow to share these wines and special experiences with more and more people.”
Why Spearhunter?
While wine was at the forefront of their interests, they were also overjoyed to spend time exploring new places, visiting the ocean, cooking together, and enjoying nature. One of the new adventures they discovered together was spearfishing, and as a new hobby it became a way for them to combine all of their passions in one. Enjoying the adventure and wildness of the ocean, then coming home and preparing something fresh to eat that they caught themselves. All that was missing was the perfect wine to pair with it…and that wine had to be Spearhunter.
Victoria Chávez
Originally from Texas, Victoria studied chemical engineering at the University of Texas-Austin and pursued a career in the energy industry for five years before discovering a not-so-hidden passion for wine. Moving to the Bay Area in California allowed her to truly fall in love with the nearby vineyards and everything that came with them.
In 2019 she decided to go all-in and enroll at the University of California-Davis, where she went on to complete her Professional Science Master's in Viticulture and Enology and became the founder of Women In Wine at UC-Davis, an organization focused on promoting women in the wine industry.
With multiple harvests under her belt in the Napa area and one vintage of Spearhunter Chardonnay in the bottle, she took advantage of an opportunity to work harvest 2021 in Puligny-Montrachet at Domaine Leflaive to continue learning about Chardonnay from some of the best to do it.
She is focused on producing wines that are respectful of the environment and forward thinking in terms of climate change.
Winemaking experiences:
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet, France
Cardinale Estate, Napa Valley, CA
Colgin Cellars, Napa Valley, CA
Keever Vineyards, Napa Valley, CA
E.&J. Gallo Winery, Modesto, CA
David DeLaitsch
Born and raised in the renowned wine-growing region of the upper Midwest, David first found his love for beer brewing as he studied Biochemistry and Spanish at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When a short career in pharmaceuticals did little for his satisfaction, he packed up and moved to Spain on what would become a nearly 5-year globetrotting adventure.
While in Spain, he found wine to be a new and exciting hobby, allowing him to enjoy learning Spanish and fermentation sciences - he soon enrolled and completed his Master's degree in Enology at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia from 2017-19. After internships in Pomerol and a stint in New Zealand, it was in Burgundy at Domaine Armand Rousseau where he decided Pinot Noir could not be beat, and set off for cool climate winemaking in southern Australia.
When COVID finally sent him back to the US in 2020, the years of traveling had him yearning a new adventure, so he set off headstrong on the first Spearhunter vintage project.
He loves foreign languages and is focused on making the world a smaller place through wine.
Winemaking experiences:
Eisele Vineyard, Napa Valley, CA
Moorooduc Estate, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin, France
Clos Henri Vineyard, Marlborough, New Zealand
Château Petit-Village, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
What's Next?
Following a 2021 vintage in Burgundy, Victoria and David collected their things from California and sought out a new home, seeking to establish themselves in Oregon in pursuit of a cooler climate and the opportunity to build a brand from the ground up. With the support of those encouraged by their drive and direction, they have two Oregon harvests in their pocket and are excited for more to come!