Julia Hinshaw
Proprietor
Julia Hinshaw is a vintner, artist, mother, and philanthropist who, alongside her husband John, became the majority owner of Blackbird Vineyards in 2019. Her journey into wine with John began long before — with a glass of in-flight wine that sparked not just a conversation, but also a lifelong partnership. Julia immersed herself in vineyard life while raising three children and living between Silicon Valley and Napa Valley, launching a family label in 2012 and eventually working with renowned winemaker Aaron Pott. Her love of wine is deeply connected to her passion for community and philanthropy.
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In 2014, she and John founded a charitable trust focused on equitable access to housing, healthcare, and education. Julia also explores creativity through intuitive acrylic painting and energy healing, integrating sound, color, and movement in her work. Her art is featured at Blackbird’s tasting room, and she is developing a wellness and art concept debuting in 2025.
Julia currently divides her time between Austin, Napa and the East Coast, when she’s not traveling on far off adventures.
John Hinshaw
Proprietor
John Hinshaw is a seasoned executive and board leader with deep experience transforming organizations across financial services, aerospace, technology, telecom, and food & beverage. He currently serves on the boards of Sysco Foods (Chair, Corporate Governance), Illumio (Chair, Compensation), and SingleStore. From 2020 to 2024, John served as Group COO at HSBC, leading a global team of 130,000 and overseeing an $11B budget during a period of significant transformation and crisis response.
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He was a member of the Group Executive Committee and served on several key boards, including HSBC Innovation Bank.
Previously, John held senior roles at Hewlett-Packard (EVP, Technology & Operations), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (Chief Customer Officer), Boeing (CIO and GM, Information Solutions), and Verizon. He began his career with Accenture.
John has also served on boards including BNY Mellon, DocuSign (helping take it public), and Bridgewater’s Technology Advisory Board.
He and his wife Julia are majority owners of Blackbird Vineyards and founders of a charitable foundation supporting innovation in education, healthcare, and shelter. He holds a BBA from James Madison University.
Lizzy Hinshaw
NYC Ambassador
Lizzy is a recent graduate of James Madison University with a B.S. in Psychology and a concentration in Substance Use Disorder Education and Communications. Currently, Lizzy is living in New York City with her partner, Greg, and their son, Kieran. She is pursuing her Master of Arts in Teaching at NYU Steinhardt, with a focus on Inclusive Childhood Education.
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After graduation JMU, Lizzy served as Social Media and Communications Manager at Blackbird Vineyards, where she created compelling content and campaigns that drove engagement and direct-to-consumer sales. From email and SMS marketing to short-form video and graphic design, Elizabeth helped shape the voice of Blackbird across platforms—balancing creativity with data-informed strategy.
Today, Lizzy acts as Blackbird Vineyards’ New York City ambassador, hosting wine dinners and tastings for collectors in the tri-state area.
Georgia Taylor
General Manager
Hailing from a small village in the southeast of England, Georgia’s wine journey began early, thanks to her father’s boutique wine shop. After graduating from the University of Warwick with a degree in French and Italian, she moved to Champagne, France to work in marketing for Dom Perignon. In 2010, Georgia transferred to the Napa Valley to work for Newton Vineyard and Domaine Chandon, managing hospitality for the two estates. In 2015, Georgia began working for Amizetta Vineyards, playing a pivotal role in launching their DTC business.
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Georgia was handpicked in spring 2021 by acclaimed winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, to relaunch and rebrand Post Parade Wines. In January 2025, Georgia began a new chapter and signed-on as General Manager at Blackbird Vineyards. Leading all things strategy, creative and operational for this luxury brand, Georgia spearheads all sales, marketing and operation for the Blackbird Vineyards.
Falling in love with California, Georgia has firmly planted her roots in the Napa community. She loves performing with the Valley Players, stretching on a Pilates reformer, and hiking Northern California with her fiancé, Tim.
Shaina Harding
Director of Winemaking
Shaina Harding is a graduate of the UC Davis Viticulture & Enology Program who has been living and making premium small lot wine in the Napa Valley since 2008. She has had the great fortune of being able to work with many of Napa’s most creative and influential winemakers who have helped to shape and grow her love of winemaking. She adores being among the vines and working in the vineyards, but her heart lies in the cellar gently guiding her wines from juice and must to bottled joy. Her nurturing style of winemaking ignores nothing yet allows the wine to flourish and become their best selves throughout the fermentation and aging process. She believes in being ever present and guiding her wines in the right direction but never forcing them to be something they are not intended to be.
Aaron Pott
Consulting Winemaker
Aaron Pott traces his love of wine back to a Parisian café at age nine, where a waiter’s refusal to serve milk sparked a lifelong curiosity. From early garage experiments to a degree in Fermentation Science at UC Davis and a Master’s in Viticulture from the Université de Bourgogne, his path was rooted in passion and purpose.
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Under the mentorship of legends like John Kongsgaard and Michel Rolland, Aaron refined his craft in Bordeaux at Troplong Mondot and La Tour Figeac before returning to Napa Valley to lead winemaking at celebrated estates including Quintessa.
In 2007, he and his wife Claire launched Pott Wine, producing expressive, small-lot wines from their Mt. Veeder vineyard. Today, Aaron consults for some of Napa’s most esteemed projects, including Greer Wine, Fe Wines, and Blackbird Vineyards.
A champion of organic farming and terroir-driven winemaking, Aaron’s work reflects a reverence for the land and a pursuit of purity and balance. His deep respect for tradition, paired with an innovative spirit, continues to shape the future of Napa Valley wine.
Bill Schlissel
National Sales Manager
Bill started with Blackbird Vineyards in 2018 and has held multiple sales positions within the company. Bill has 15 years of experience in the wine industry holding positions at Jackson Family Wines, and the nation’s largest wine distributor-Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits. Bill has earned a level 2 Certified Sommelier certification during his stay as Beverage Director of Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Bill currently resides in New Jersey with his wife Allison, 5 year old daughter Morgan, and new born baby boy Derek.
Sean Genn
West Coast Sales Manager
Sean Genn is a Certified Sommelier and Wine Business MBA graduate from Sonoma State University with more than 11 years of experience in wholesale wine sales. Before joining Blackbird Vineyards as West Coast Sales Manager, he spent time with Far Niente and Breakthru Beverage where he grew some of the top fine wine portfolios in the Southwest. Originally from the Bay Area, Sean spent nearly two decades in Arizona before relocating to Napa Valley with his wife Dericka and their two children, CJ and Avery.
Madison Lee
DTC Sales Director
Madison is our Director of Direct-to-Consumer Sales where she leads DTC strategy, manages customer relationships, and brings the Blackbird experience to life through curated tastings and elevated hospitality. She is passionate about building genuine connections and helping people discover wines they truly love. A native of Poughkeepsie, NY, Madison holds a Master’s in Wine Management from The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Her background combines formal wine education with a natural flair for hospitality and storytelling.
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Madison represents Blackbird not only in Napa, but across the country, sharing the brand’s story and cultivating meaningful relationships with clients and collectors alike. Known for her warmth, energy, and love of conversation, she thrives on the personal side of wine—where great bottles meet great people.
