The people behind Hertelendy
Two distinct talents.
One extraordinary pursuit.
Ralph Hertelendy and Phillip Corallo-Titus bring individual perspectives to a shared ambition: wines that move you, challenge you, and stay with you. Meet the people behind the wines ↓
Independent spirit
Extraordinary craft
A shared pursuit
Founder & Vintner
Ralph Hertelendy
Curiosity has always led the way. From his first basement vintage to the hillsides of Napa Valley, Ralph’s journey is driven by a fascination with what wine can become. His Hungarian heritage, experience as a sommelier, and travels through Europe’s wine regions inform a style that is unmistakably his own: bold, expressive, and willing to defy expectations.“There’s just not enough mind-bending wines in this world.”
Read Ralph’s story
After earning his business degree at the University of San Francisco, Ralph worked in sales and as a winemaker’s assistant under Laura Barrett. He made his first wine at twenty-five, beginning a pursuit that would become his life’s work. Time spent in France, Italy, and Spain deepened his understanding of wine and its power to connect people. Today, his creative instincts extend from the cellar to music, philanthropy, and adventures around the world.Consulting Winemaker
Phillip Corallo-Titus
For Phillip, everything begins in the vineyard. A childhood working alongside his father led to studies at UC Davis and a Napa Valley career shaped by patience, precision, and respect for the land. Known for his work at Chappellet and Titus, he brings an instinct for balance and longevity to Hertelendy — wines of expressive depth, polished texture, and enduring finesse.“Your wine is only as good as your grapes.”
Read Phillip’s story
Phillip began working in his family’s vineyard at twelve. He studied agronomy, viticulture, and enology at the University of California, Davis, before beginning his Napa Valley career in 1981. His approach centers on meticulous farming and ideal ripeness. In the cellar, he seeks to refine and preserve the vineyard’s expression. Beyond the winery, hiking, travel, and fly fishing reflect the same patient engagement with nature.
The partnership
Where power meets finesse.
Ralph’s appetite for intensity finds a natural complement in Phillip’s classical sensibility. Together, they pursue wines with both immediate presence and the depth to unfold over time.Depth. Power. Possibility.
The impulse to push further and create something unexpected.Poise. Precision. Finesse.
The experience to give that ambition shape, balance, and longevity.Beyond the cellar
Life feeds the creative spirit.
Ralph
Music, philanthropy, cooking, and a love of adventure. Curiosity rarely stays in one place. The Hertelendy Foundation ↗Phillip
Travel, hiking, a memorable meal, and time on the water with a fly rod. A different rhythm; the same attention to detail.A personal invitation
Meet us through the wines.
