Jim Barbour was raised in a Napa Valley grape-growing family and today has 30 years of experience in agribusiness. He attended the University of California at Davis and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science with a special emphasis on viticulture. From 1975 through 1989, Jim worked with Frank Wood & Sons, a vineyard management and development company, where he was responsible for developing over 1,200 acres of wine grapes in the Napa Valley.
In 1990, Jim founded Barbour Vineyards, which currently manages or consults for 400 acres of premium vineyards. Over the past 15 years, Jim has led the way in managing and developing some of the best-known vineyards in the Napa Valley, including Amuse Bouche, Barnett Vineyards, La Sirena Vineyards, Narsi David Vineyards, and Von Strasser Vineyards. Along with these vineyards, Jim has worked side by side with some of Napa Valley’s top winemakers, such as Heidi Barrett, Celia Welch Masyczek, Phillippe Melka, Thomas Brown, and Karen Culler.