I first heard Nova described as a trailblazer — the first female winemaker in the U.S. to earn the coveted Master of Wine title. But titles, as impressive as they are, don’t tell the whole story. The real story starts with a deep curiosity about the land, a lifelong pursuit of craftsmanship, and a belief that wine should connect people to place. Someone who doesn’t just make wine, but lives it — through seasons of risk, reinvention, and resilience.
Roots in South Carolina, New York, Trained in Napa
Nova grew up in South Carolina and moved to upstate New York in her 20s, surrounded by orchards and lakes. Her love of agriculture came first, but it didn’t take long before that fascination turned to viticulture. The Finger Lakes, with their cool-climate vineyards and unpredictable challenges, became her classroom and, ultimately, her calling.
After earning her degree in viticulture from Cornell, she set her sights on the West Coast, trading rolling green hills for the golden glow of Napa Valley. Nova cut her teeth at some of the most respected cellars in the business — including Mondavi — sharpening both skill and perspective. But Napa wasn’t an endpoint; it was an evolution. She kept studying, tasting, learning — eventually earning her Master of Wine after eight demanding years and more than a few near misses. (She’ll tell you candidly that she failed five times before earning the title — and that failure was one of her greatest teachers.)
Building Bridges, Not Brands
Today, Nova wears more titles than a well-stocked wine list — winemaker, consultant, educator, author, and mentor. But if you ask her, she’ll simply say she’s a storyteller who happens to use wine as her medium.
Through Trestle Thirty-One, her personal project in the Finger Lakes, she’s created wines that feel like the region itself — bright, precise, and quietly confident. And while Trestle Thirty-One may have been just one file folder in the back of her mind years ago, it’s now grown into a family of five unique labels:
The Engine by Trestle Thirty-One — a bold, driving expression of innovation and movement.
Fiadh Ruadh — Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc that show her Napa influence, structured yet lyrical.
Snowshell Vineyards— a softer, acid-driven white that channels the cool tension of her home region.
None of these brands were part of the original plan… but that’s the beauty of Nova’s story. She’s guided more by instinct than industry playbook — and it’s a story that continues to show success in a wine challenged industry.
Shifting the Mindset of Wine
Nova has her pulse on how wine culture is changing. Consumers, she says, are drinking less but better. They want meaning in the glass — not just marketing. That’s exactly why her wines resonate. They’re crafted for a generation that values experience and authenticity over labels and price points.
She believes the wine industry’s next chapter depends on how well we meet customers where they are — not where tradition assumes they should be. “Brands that connect emotionally and experientially aren’t seeing the same downturn,” she says. And if anyone would know, it’s Nova, who straddles both worlds: the farming foundation of New York and the branding battleground of Napa.
Lessons from a Trailblazer
At one point, Nova was Director of Winemaking for Constellation Brands, working alongside some of the biggest names in luxury wine. But in 2015, she decided to chase something more personal — a path that took her back to New York, back to the vineyards that first taught her patience and precision.
It wasn’t smooth sailing. The first vintages were a labor of love, and when things went sideways, she couldn’t help but laugh: “If it all goes up in flames, at least I tried.” But failure didn’t stop her — it fueled her.
Trestle Thirty-One took off in 2021, and by 2022, she officially left Constellation to build her own vision full-time. Now, she’s not only crafting wines but also writing a book on overcoming failure — one that traces her winding journey through the vineyards, the MW exams, and every lesson learned in between.
Nova’s journey is a reminder that true craftsmanship is born from curiosity, resilience, and heart. From the cool hills of the Finger Lakes to the golden vineyards of Napa, her path has never been about following a formula — it’s been about finding authenticity in every step.
She proves that innovation doesn’t mean abandoning tradition; it means asking better questions, taking smarter risks, and daring to redefine success on your own terms. Through challenges, reinvention, and triumphs, Nova continues to show that great wine — like a great life — is about balance, purpose, and the belief that every setback is just another vintage in the making.
