Mark Neal, JNS Vineyard Management

By the time Mark Neal was 18 years old, he had logged 12,000 hours on the family tractor, and he knew he liked the farmer's view of the world.

In 1968, his father Jack Neal established their family business, JNS Vineyard Management. Mark began working alongside him when he was only 8 years old, learning to operate heavy farm equipment before he could drive a car. As a young adult, Mark chose to augment his education with viticultural studies at Santa Rosa Junior College. While there, he was instrumental in the development of the school farm.

As Heitz Wine Cellars gradually expanded to 375 acres of Napa Valley vineyard, we established a significant relationship with JNS that is still going strong today. Mark and his father made a powerful team until Jack's death in 1994.

As the president of JNS during the past decade, Mark has combined excellent business acumen with 40 years of hands on experience. His innovative viticultural practices and up-to-the-minute technology have helped to keep Heitz Wine Cellars in the vanguard of grape growing in the Napa Valley.