Our Story
A Napa Valley Dream
For years, Bill Foley and his wife, Carol Johnson Foley, had dreamt of opening a winery bearing their name in Napa Valley. They both enjoyed the grandeur of Napa’s scenery and the rhythm of its lifestyle, and, more importantly, the couple loved the opulence and complexity of Napa’s wines. Originally Sawyer Cellars, Bill and Carol renamed the estate to pay homage to their family heritage, launching Foley Johnson in 2012. In Foley Johnson, the Foleys have created a world-class winery with premier vineyards and a historic tasting room right in the heart of America’s preeminent wine-growing region.
Located along Highway 29 in the prestigious Rutherford AVA, Foley Johnson exemplifies the understated elegance and casual warmth of the Valley. The winery focuses on luxury Bordeaux wines produced from our 40 acre Foley Johnson Estate in the heart of Rutherford, inclusive of our esteemed Peral Vineyard, a 10-acre parcel of Cabernet Sauvignon adjacent to our main estate.
Director of Winemaking
Michael Beaulac
Foley Johnson Director of Winemaking, Michael Beaulac, a Vermont native, joined the Foley Family Wines team in 2021, bringing over 30 years of experience working with premier luxury wineries.
Michael began his winemaking career when a chance opportunity presented itself while he was running a Portland, Maine jazz dinner club. There, Beaulac’s career pivoted when Tim Murphy of Murphy-Goode offered him a job one night, partly in jest. The opportunity was one that Beaulac was looking for, and he accepted his offer and moved to Sonoma County, California to work as a Murphy-Goode Winery harvest intern in 1989.
Beaulac spent an interim period at Laurier Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros region working as a cellar master with Merry Edwards from 1989 through 1991. This opportunity gave way to becoming assistant winemaker back at Murphy-Goode, where he spent four years developing new varietal programs for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. In 1997, Michael Beaulac spent four years as winemaker for Markham Vineyards in St. Helena. Beaulac took his expertise to the next level, becoming Vice President of St. Supéry Vineyards in Rutherford in 2001, working closely with Michel Roland and Denis Dubourdieu. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the Napa Valley, Beaulac became General Manager and winemaker at Napa’s Pine Ridge Vineyards in 2009 where he oversaw the estate’s 160 acres. Beaulac credits his development as a winemaker to working with Michel Roland and Pine Ridge’s high standard for producing quality wines.
Michael’s winemaking philosophy starts in the vineyard. Truly knowing the land, soil, and climate allows him to showcase the exceptionally pure qualities of the diverse vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. He says of his philosophy for winemaking, “Be proactive in the vineyards. Let the fruit find its balance. Do not force the wine to be anything it’s not. Let it express its typicity. Once in the winery the wine should be touched as little as possible, in a perfect vintage, we really shouldn’t have to do anything.”
Beaulac currently resides outside of Santa Rosa. When he is not in the vineyards, he enjoys hikes with his wife Cathy and their German Shepherd. He also loves to cook and experiment in the kitchen with different recipes.
Associate Winemaker
Sierra Zeiter
From a young age, Sierra was captivated by the world of wine. She first noticed the way wine brought people together—creating celebrations, smiles, and lasting friendships. At just fifteen years old, she decided she wanted to become a winemaker, and every day since, she has worked tirelessly to achieve that dream.
In 2017, Sierra earned her Enology degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During her time at Cal Poly, she completed four harvest internships—two in her hometown of Lodi and two in Paso Robles. After graduating, Sierra began her professional career as Assistant Winemaker at Oak Farm Vineyards in Lodi, where she was later promoted to Head Winemaker.
Eager to deepen her knowledge and explore premium winemaking, Sierra transitioned to Napa Valley as an Enologist at Burgess Cellars. Working closely with the Winemaker, she focused on Howell Mountain and Napa Valley Bordeaux varieties, embracing promiscuous and biodynamic farming practices alongside native fermentations.
Currently, Sierra serves as Associate Winemaker for Foley Johnson, Merus, Cosentino, and Swanson under Foley Family Wines. In this role, she collaborates closely with the Director of Winemaking on key decisions, including vineyard selections, blending strategies, budget management, and packaging goals. Her passion for precision and her ability to oversee diverse projects have made her an integral part of the team.
Sierra now calls Napa Valley home, where she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, hiking, and snowboarding in Tahoe. She graduated with her Executive Wine MBA from Sonoma State University in 2025, further solidifying her expertise in both the technical and business sides of the wine industry. Sierra is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of winemakers and is excited to see where her journey will lead.
Winemaker In Memoriam
Patrick Foley
William Patrick Foley III
1986-2018
Patrick was a generous, fun-loving young man with a winning smile and infectious personality. Internally, Patrick was an intense, hard-working and dedicated Winemaker at Foley Johnson Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley.
In 2003 Patrick moved with his family to Jacksonville, Florida where he went to the Bolles School. He was active in High School playing on a State Championship football team and lacrosse. After graduating in 2006, Patrick attended Chapman University where he again played lacrosse, graduating four years later with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration.
Patrick then worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Investment Banking for the next two years. Patrick, a wine-lover, first worked a harvest at Chalk Hill Winery and decided to advance his knowledge by attending Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand, receiving a Master’s Certificate in Enology and Viticulture. After working a harvest in Argentina, Patrick joined Roth Winery in Healdsburg, California as the Enologist. Patrick was then promoted to Assistant Winemaker.
In the fall of 2016, Patrick accepted a position as Winemaker at Foley Johnson Winery where he enjoyed the process of producing signature Rutherford Cabernets.
Patrick will forever be missed.
William Patrick Foley III passed away Sunday evening, August 12, 2018 from natural causes. Patrick is survived by his sisters Lindsay and Courtney, his brother Robert and his parents, Bill and Carol Foley.
Grip Hands, Be Thou at Peace.