St. Helena, Calif.—Mary Weber Novak, the founder of Napa Valley’s Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, passed away after a brief fight with cancer on Sunday, Sept. 25. She was 84.

Weber Novak settled in the Napa Valley in 1972 after her husband Jack Novak sold his San Diego medical practice. The couple had moved to Napa with their five children after buying the 31-acre Spottswoode estate and an adjacent 15-acre parcel of land. In 1977, Jack Novak died unexpectedly and Mary Novak took over management of the estate.

In 1982, after establishing Spottswoode’s reputation as a source of high-quality grapes, Novak hired Winemaker Tony Soter and founded Spottswoode Winery. Three years later, on Soter’s recommendation, Novak began farming the Spottswoode Estate Vineyard organically. The winery was also an early adopter of solar energy, restored Spring Creek and has contributed 1% of gross profits to several environmental causes.

“I have had the honor of working alongside my Mom for 29 years in helping her build Spottswoode into the incredible estate vineyard and winery that it is today,” says Beth Novak Milliken. “She had immense inner strength, an amazing spirit and love of life, and a dream that Spottswoode would continue through generations."
 
A celebration of Mary’s life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in Mary’s name to The Land Trust of Napa County or The Trust for Public Land.