MEET ANDREW & JARRED

Andrew Renda

CELEBRATING with food and wine is one of the great pleasures of Andy’s life.  His father, a Sicilian, fostered this love of food and taught Andy the “hands on” experience of cooking, serving and socializing.

At age 14, Andy was scrubbing pots and pans for a caterer in the Boston area and falling in love with the fast pace of the restaurant business.  He calls it “controlled chaos.”  Three years later, he began cooking at the acclaimed Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, and was introduced to world-class wines and haute cuisine pairings.

Intrigued by wine, he supplemented his culinary experience by working in wine shops, tasting as many wines as possible and studying the history of wine.  He soon knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.  

In 2005, Andy and his fiancée Kelly sold everything and moved to Napa because, in his own words, “if your focus is wine, Napa is Mecca.”

With a continually refining palate and deep knowledge of wines, he quickly became the Director of Sales for Vintners Collective.  Here he came to know intimately the boutique wines and winemakers of the Napa Valley.  And he also met his future partner, Jarred Pearce.

Andy has a remarkable memory for tastes.  He can remember a client’s preferred wines years later.  It is an uncanny ability that often leaves his clients speechless.

Since Andy has tasted thousands of wines from all over the world, he is justifiably proud of each of the wines offered by AJ Pearce.

“There is no more delightful experience than sharing a wonderful meal and fine wines with friends and loved ones.”

~ Andrew Renda

Jarred Pearce

“WINE IS ART…” proclaimed California native Jarred Pearce when he moved to Napa.  His first job in the Valley was selling wine at Oakville Grocery.  Here he met many winemakers.  They taught him three enduring lessons:  wine is art, wine is science, wine is agriculture.  Sensing curiosity and potential in Jarred, several winemakers encouraged him to learn and expand his horizons.

Jarred enrolled at Napa Valley College to study viticulture and enology.  After college, he became Cellarmaster at Piña Cellars in Rutherford.  As he managed the winemaking, he learned the art of “creating single vineyard cabernets from different regions of the Napa Valley.”

International experience was next up for Jarred as he journeyed to South Africa twice for three-month internships at Antonij Rupert Wines in Franschhoek and Nelson’s Creek Winery in Paarl.  Here he worked alongside world-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland.

His next position was Cellarmaster at Fantesca Winery where he had the privilege of working with two of Napa Valley’s most prominent and respected winemakers, Heidi Barrett and Philippe Melka.

Jarred believes that “wine is made in the vineyard, not the cellar.”  The quality of the fruit determines the potential of the wine.  His passion for winemaking is clearly evident in his personal involvement in every step of the process, from grape to bottle.

Jarred’s winemaking expertise, honed through years of study, internships and experience is apparent in every bottle of AJ Pearce Wines.

“Wine is art, wine is science, wine is agriculture.  Excellence in all three areas is crucial to produce world-class wines.”

~Jarred Pearce