Zelma Long
Zelma R. Long | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Enologist, winemaker |
| Known for | First woman to head a major California winery; founding president of the American Vineyard Foundation; president of Simi Winery (1989–1996) |
Zelma R. Long (born 1945) is a distinguished American enologist and winemaker, celebrated as a groundbreaking female figure in the realm of California wine. She made history as the first woman to head a major winery in California, holding the position of president at Simi Winery from 1989 through 1996. Long established and served as the founding president of the American Vineyard Foundation, an organization dedicated to advancing research in enology and viticulture. Additionally, she created the American Viticulture and Enology Research Network (AVERN). Alongside her current husband, she co-owns Long Vineyards located in St. Helena, California and is involved with the Vilafonte Wine Estate in South Africa. Her contributions also extend to viticultural research initiatives in Washington state.
Career
After earning her degree from Oregon State University in 1965, Long began her professional journey as a dietician. Her family’s acquisition of a vineyard in Napa Valley in 1966 ignited her passion for viticulture. She pursued graduate education in Enology and Viticulture at University of California, Davis, but departed in 1970 to join Robert Mondavi Winery, where she rose to chief enologist during the winery’s expansion throughout the 1970s. Robert Mondavi himself considered her exit in 1979 a considerable setback. That same year, Long took on the role of Vice President at Simi Winery in the Alexander Valley. She later completed an MBA at Stanford University and advanced to become Simi’s president and CEO from 1989 until 1996. During her tenure, she revitalized the winery by implementing innovative winemaking methods and enlarging vineyard holdings. Following this period, she served as Executive Vice President at Chandon Estates until 1999 before dedicating her efforts to Long Vineyards, which she co-established with then-husband Bob Long in 1977.
Long’s influence transcended winemaking operations; she founded the American Vineyard Foundation to support industry research funding and launched AVERN to encourage cooperative efforts among researchers. She has been a vigorous advocate for enological studies nationwide, particularly endorsing Washington state's Merlot as a grape of exceptional quality. Together with her husband Philip Freese, she initiated Zelphi Wines and expanded her reach internationally with ventures including Germany and South Africa’s Vilafonte Wine Estate.
Acknowledged as a pioneer for women within the predominantly male US wine sector, Long has guided numerous female vintners across California. Industry peers affectionately dubbed her "Miss Oblivious" due to her steadfast perseverance in overcoming gender biases. Her accolades include recognition by the Amis du vin Association as an outstanding winemaker, the 1997 James Beard Award for Wine Professional of the Year, Wine Spectator’s California Wine Pioneer award (1993), the MASI award (1994), and a nomination for Woman of the Year (1994). In 2009, she received The Outstanding Alumni distinction from University of California, Davis. Among her published works is Enological and Technological Developments. Beyond her professional pursuits, Long maintains interests in Buddhist, Asian, and African art forms as well as birdwatching and horseback riding.