LAELY is the personal expression of founder Laely Heron — a reflection of nearly 30 years of intuition, restraint, and unwavering standards, building on the legacy of Heron wines while standing confidently on its own.

As one of the industry's first female wine pioneers, Laely helped redefine what California wines could be — transparent, restrained, and site-driven rather than formulaic. LAELY continues that philosophy at the highest level. Sourced from premier Napa Valley vineyards and crafted in partnership with master blender Nick Ramkowsky, LAELY represents modern classics: structured yet fresh, powerful yet composed, timeless yet unmistakably contemporary.

Where Heron celebrates the breadth of California, LAELY is its pinnacle expression — focused, confident, and deeply personal.

Region: California

Noteworthy Distictions:

  • Female Producer

LAELY HERON, FOUNDER

Laely Heron comes from a historic era of original female leaders who broke the glass ceiling in the wine industry by creating one of the first female owned and produced brands in 1995. With the debut of the 1994 vintage, Heron became an instant success by being poured in top restaurants and sold in boutique retail shops around the country and is still going strong as the 30th vintage anniversary of Heron approaches.

Instead of going to UC Davis, she studied Oenology at the University of Bordeaux, cutting her teeth by learning from French winemakers. This influenced her desire to create transparent, restrained wines, setting Heron apart from other California brands.

Best friends Laely and Nick Ramkowsky, owner of Vine Connections, have partnered to create the wines in Sonoma, California. Nick is a master blender who has worked for the past 25 years with South America’s best winemakers to bring to life award-winning wines for the US palate. An avid believer in Laely, and the Heron brand, Nick is honored to now craft these wines for new generations of wine lovers to believe in.