One of the most famous names in the Napa Valley wine industry, Tony Peju, has died at the age of 85.
The “force of nature” arrived in the US in the 1950s with the aim of getting into the film industry having been born “on the Caspian Sea” in 1937, according to all references to his early life, without specifying the country of his birth.
He spent part of his childhood in France before emigrating to the US, eventually opening a nursery and successful flower shops in southern California with his wife Herta.
It was 1983 that the couple purchased a 30-acre site in Rutherford in the Napa Valley, creating wines which were initially sold from the family garage. Over the years the Peju dynasty extended to encompass five other vineyards, comprising a total of 600 acres, and in 2023 the Peju estate celebrated its 40th anniversary, the business formally handed over to the family’s two daughters, Lisa and Ariana.
The family confirmed that Tony had died at their Calistoga home on June 10, with his wife Herta saying: “Today we lost a force of nature. Tony was relentless and had incredible drive and perseverance, which enabled him to overcome all obstacles to make his vision a reality.”
