OUR TEAM
We are a small, family-run winery who relies on the help of some of the most talented people in Napa Valley. Meet them below.
Dave & Suzie Spence
Owners
About Dave & Suzie
Dave and Suzie Spence purchased Spence Vineyards from Allen and Jacalyn Spence in 2022 to keep the business and the property in the family. After a successful career in plastics and packaging, Dave was motivated to spend his time pursuing something a bit more fun. Allen and Dave grew up together in Kirkwood, MO and remained friends throughout their adult lives, despite the physical distance between them. In 2016, while on a ski trip in Park City, Utah, Allen and Dave had a casual conversation about Dave purchasing the winery – a transition that would allow Allen and Jacalyn to retire. 6 years later, this finally materialized. Dave and Suzie’s goal is simple – to maintain the small production winery tradition and continue producing distinctive and intense Howell Mountain wines. Dave and Suzie live full time in Missouri with their 3 dogs, splitting their time between St. Louis and the Lake of the Ozarks.
Charlie Jensen
Director of Sales & Marketing
About Charlie
Charlie Jensen is the Director of Sales & Marketing for Spence Vineyards. He grew up in a suburb of Kansas City where he learned to love the Chiefs, Royals, and of course, the best BBQ in the world. During his final semester at the University of Missouri (Go Tigers), Charlie was preparing to begin a position with William Morris Agency, which he hoped would be the beginning of a career in the music industry. After covid-19 wrecked those plans, Charlie decided to try something that no one had ever tried before – following a girl to California!
Upon his arrival in Napa Valley, Charlie spent 2.5 years working as the Estate Host at Hill Family Estate’s private winery location in Yountville. Although working in the wine industry was an unexpected twist for Charlie, he quickly found a new and surprising passion for wine, hospitality, and all things Napa Valley. After 2.5 years working for and learning from the Hill Family, Charlie joined Spence Vineyards in January of 2024 to help grow the business. Charlie lives in St. Helena with his fiancée Keeley and spends his free time playing his guitar, hiking, skiing, golfing, and exploring their new home in Northern California.
Keeley Spence
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About Keeley
Keeley works part time at Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena where she helps run their “Old Winery & Cave” hospitality program. When she’s not dazzling guests at Beringer, she is helping with all things Spence Vineyards. Keeley lives in St. Helena with her fiancé Charlie and spends her free time doing Yoga, playing bocce, skiing, golfing, and trying to convince Charlie to get a dog.
Ted Osbourne
Winemaker
About Ted
In the winter of 2000, Osborne returned from France and was brought on board at Storybook Mountain in Napa to help with their burgeoning Cabernet program. Once word got out of his success, in 2004, the Pina brothers hired him to make their vineyard designate Napa Cabernet Sauvignons. This further success led to offers to make wines for some of the most distinctive boutique wineries in Northern California.
At Spence Vineyards, Ted focuses on vineyard-defined wines made with minimal intervention to bring out the character of our vineyard in a balanced, elegant, and unique fashion.
Jon Jones
WineMaker
About Jon
Jon’s journey to becoming a winemaker started on a little side trip to the Napa Valley during his college days. A memorable night with friends began raiding a wine cellar and ended swigging a choice vintage of Opus One straight from the bottle. The bar was set, his passion was realized, and now with 23 years of wine work under his belt, his winemaking style is well-developed.
Jon cut his teeth in enology at a few big wineries (Robert Mondavi, Merryvale, Opus One), then moved from the lab to the cellar making wine at a few smaller wineries (Adobe Road and Lava Vine). Jon now works as a Associate Winemaker at Spence Vineyards alongside Ted and they definitely make a great team.