About the project
I'm Ed Chiurco, a horticulturist and certified arborist who fell for wine. After my first harvest at Etude Wines in Napa in 2025, I'm heading out to work harvests abroad, beginning with the 2027 vintage in New Zealand.
Each stop gets a chapter: the vines, the soil and climate, the winemaking, and the history of the place.
Resume
Open to paid or volunteer harvest and cellar work. Available from mid-November 2026 for the full 2027 vintage in New Zealand.
- Harvest and cellar intern at Etude Wines, Napa (August to October 2025): grape receiving, pressing, racking, punchdowns, pumpovers, and sampling across Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay.
- M.S. in Horticulture and Agronomy, UC Davis (2019), including 12 upper-division credits in viticulture.
- ISA Certified Arborist. Owner of East-West Landscaping, LLC from 2010 to 2021.
- Forklift operator, lab experience with HPLC and plate readers, conversational Spanish, and my own car and camping gear in New Zealand.
The book
Narrative nonfiction that mixes field notes, travel stories, and viticulture. Chapters run from Napa to New Zealand, Europe, and South America.
See the chaptersContact
Want to host me on your vineyard, collaborate, or share ideas? Write to edchiurco@gmail.com.