Goosecross
Christi Coors Ficeli, Owner - Goosecross
Christi comes by her spirit of entrepreneurship honestly: The great, great granddaughter of beverage industry pioneer, Adolph Coors, she was raised in a family that has always put a premium on realizing your dreams through vision, dedication and collaboration. These days, Christi is living her long-held dream of living and working in the Napa Valley as the Owner of Goosecross Winery – a hidden-gem property on the outskirts of Yountville – which she and her family acquired in May of 2013.
Christi graduated from Santa Clara University in 1996 and started her career working in the Silicon Valley selling copiers for Xerox. This is where she got her first true taste of sales and instantly fell in love with sales, which she never knew she would enjoy.
After 2 years at Xerox, Christi wanted to further her package goods industry knowledge to gain experience to one day work for her family business, she joined the team at Gallo winery in 1998. This is also where she got her first taste of the wine business. In addition to learning the basics of wine production, distribution, promotion, sales, and marketing, in a family-owned business environment, it was at Gallo where she met her future husband, wine industry executive, David Ficeli. From Gallo, Christi enrolled in business school at University of Denver for her MBA. After completion of her MBA in 2002 Christi joined the Coors family business as District Business Manager. She moved through several jobs at Coors Brewing company including Sales General Manager, Chain Sales Director, and Marketing Director.
One of Christi’s sales roles placed her in Northern California where she and Dave were lucky enough to spend the next several years working and living in Napa Valley – a place that they quickly grew to love for its natural beauty, sense of community and stellar wines. Increasing job responsibilities and career moves over the next 8 years pulled the couple away from Napa to Denver and Chicago – but the thought of returning was always in the back of their minds, intensifying over time.
Finally, in 2012 Christi put her now considerable beverage industry experience to work to make the dream a reality: She developed a business plan, and with family funding, accomplished quest for a Napa Valley winery in the spring of 2013 with her search ultimately leading her to Goosecross.
Christi recalls that moment of discovery vividly: “I sat on the back terrace overlooking the vineyards and tasting Goosecross wines with the winery partners. It was quiet. Peaceful. You could reach out and touch the vines. I knew in that moment that I was home and that this was a gem to be treasured.”
Christi and Dave purchased Goosecross from the Coors Family in September 2021; And the dream lives on, even more present as they are now working together to create something special – for them, their kids, and all those that visit the winery. Christi and Dave currently live in the town of Napa with their two children, Luke and Lucy. When not working, Christi loves spending time with Dave and their children – currently watching many sporting events for both of them. Christi also serves on several boards including Napa Valley Chamber of Commerce, Santa Clara University Board of Regents, and University of Denver Executive Advisory committee. She is also active in giving back to her community through numerous charitable efforts, with a special emphasis on St Jude Children’s Hospital, The Alzheimer’s association, and Napa Valley Community Foundation
Dave Ficeli, Owner - Goosecross Cellars
Dave has always been driven towards an entrepreneurial path within the wine industry. For most of the past two decades, he has had the good fortune of working with great brands and wineries in California and internationally. His experience spans both corporate and entrepreneurial roles in marketing, strategy, sales, production, general management, and leadership. Most recently, Dave served as General Manager overseeing production for Jackson Family Wines' Napa County and Carneros wineries including a large Napa Green-certified winery and the company’s most water efficient winery.
Dave got his initial start in the wine industry after receiving his MBA from the Owen Business School at Vanderbilt when he began working for the E. & J. Gallo Winery in Modesto, CA. This is where his love for wine and the wine industry began, and also where he met his wife, Christi. After Gallo, Dave started a negociant wine company focused on creating well-made, consumer-friendly wines available throughout the United States.
In 2013, job changes and life decisions drew Dave and Christi back to Napa Valley, the place where they wanted to set down roots and build their family business.
While Dave continued to seek out professional challenges, the road always leads back to his two passions: building a long term/legacy family business and expressive, single vineyard wines. These two loves found a home together at Goosecross, which Dave and Christi purchased in September 2021. Goosecross felt like the perfect fit for Dave where he could put his passion for wine and experience in Marketing and Production into practice and build Goosecross for generations of Ficeli’s to steward for years to come.
When he is not tending to the family business or spending time with his family, Dave can be found volunteering his time working with Napa County and his neighbors to bring greater access to Napa’s recycled water program. The program aims to provide better access to agricultural water for farming to help preserve residential water in a water-challenged environment. His commitment to working towards pragmatic, sustainable approaches to water conservation include serving on Napa County’s Groundwater Sustainability Advisory Committee which helped draft Napa’s long-term groundwater strategy.
Dave and the Ficeli family are active supporters of St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital and the Alzheimer’s Association. He also serves on several wine and business advisory boards. An advocate for life-long learning, he is currently working towards his enology and viticulture degree. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, writing, playing sports and can often be found coaching his kids’ lacrosse, football, and basketball teams. Dave lives in eastern Napa County with his wife and business partner Christi, son Luke, daughter Lucy and the family dog, Tuk. Dave has a B.A. from University of Michigan and an MBA from Vanderbilt University.
Bill Nancarrow, Winemaker - Goosecross Cellars
Bill Nancarrow’s ascent to his role as Winemaker for Napa Valley’s Goosecross Cellars includes stints on four different continents. A native of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, Bill graduated from college with a degree in hotel management. His early interest in wine and food led him to Cape Town, South Africa managing one of the city’s fine dining establishments known for its stellar wine list. Hungry to learn more, Bill next set his sights on France, backpacking his way through some of that country’s most celebrated winegrowing regions including Alsace, Champagne, Chablis, Beaune, and Bordeaux to name a few. He next made his way to the UK where he worked as a Vineyard Manager at Thorncraft Vineyards south of London. His last stint prior to coming to Napa was a stop back home in New Zealand to work at the renowned CJ Pask Winery in Hawkes Bay which further cemented his skills as a winemaker. During this time, he credits Winemaker-Director Kate Radburn, one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed winemakers as having a profound influence on his winemaking approach – one that emphasizes regional and varietal authenticity and always with an eye to sustainability.
Keen to work a Northern Hemisphere vintage, Bill travelled to the Napa Valley in 2001 to work at famed Merlot house, Duckhorn Vineyards. When the Assistant Winemaker’s position unexpectedly opened, he grabbed it. In 2003 he assumed the role of Winemaker for sister brand Paraduxx while continuing his Assistant Winemaking duties at Duckhorn. All his efforts were rewarded in 2007 when he was promoted to Executive Winemaker of Duckhorn Wine Company’s Napa Valley properties – a post which he held until 2013.
Bill’s extensive winemaking experiences, his deep knowledge of the exceptional Napa Valley terroir, plus his natural artistry crafting wines with a sense of elegance, purity and place make him uniquely poised for his position as Winemaker for Goosecross Cellars, a post he has held since 2013. Bill brings his distinctive winemaking style and considerable skills to bear on the winery’s single varietal wines as well as their innovative blends. Armed with a brand-new winery, exceptional estate vineyards and extensive grower relations throughout the Napa Valley, he and his team have everything they need to uphold the Goosecross commitment for winemaking excellence well into the future.