History

Diane was born in Los Angeles on December 18th, 1933. She married Ron Miller in 1954, and they raised seven children together. Partners for almost 60 years, Diane and Ron always set aside time to be in nature, skiing in Colorado and swimming in the ocean in Hawaii throughout their lives.

Diane possessed remarkable enthusiasm and energy. She was devoted to raising her seven children and was a lifelong pianist with a passion for classical music, generously supporting the arts. Over the last two decades of her life, Diane undertook an active advocacy to document the life and accomplishments of her father.

Diane was her father’s daughter, a creative force with the persistence to follow dreams and make a difference. Diane’s proudest legacy is no doubt her large and adoring family. Diane also worked tirelessly to conceive of and complete both the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and The Walt Disney Family Museum. And, with her husband, Ron Miller, she founded our renowned winery.

Ron Miller, Walt Disney's son-in-law, worked at The Walt Disney Company for 30 years, serving as President and CEO from 1978 to 1984. When Ron was 21 and a member of the football team at the University of Southern California, he was introduced to then-20-year-old Diane Disney on a blind date. They were married in Santa Barbara on May 9, 1954. Ron then served in the Army and played professional football for the Los Angeles Rams before his father-in-law recruited him to work at The Walt Disney Studios. There, he ascended from varied motion picture and television production roles to President and CEO of what is now The Walt Disney Company.

After Walt’s death, Ron pushed the Company to expand and explore, creating Walt Disney Home Video, the Touchstone Pictures label, and The Disney Channel. He supported and encouraged ongoing innovation, including early computer animation, with experimental work and films such as Tron (1982) and Tim Burton’s early stop-motion animation shorts Vincent (1982) and Frankenweenie (1984). In 1983, he also approved the funding for Disney’s first foray into New York theatre, backing the first workshop for a show that eventually would open on Broadway.

Ron and Diane established Silverado Vineyards in 1981 to make wine from the historic vineyards of their Napa Valley estate. Each vineyard played an important role in establishing the reputation of its appellation: Carneros, Coombsville, Yountville and Stags Leap District. The beautiful fruit from these vineyards is the exclusive source of Silverado Vineyards’ Estate and Single Vineyard wines––the Miller family’s highest expression of the Napa Valley they love and admire. Throughout the 30-plus years they have farmed the vineyards, the family has championed environmental efforts protecting open space, restoring local creeks and the Napa River, and adopting energy and water saving technology in the winery. They have done so to ensure that generations can come enjoy the lands’ beauty and bounty.

Ron left The Walt Disney Company and the entertainment industry in 1984. With seven grown children, and grandchildren on the way, he and Diane resettled in the Napa Valley, which became their permanent home.

Discouraged that Walt Disney’s name had become a corporate ‘brand’, and that the identity of the man himself had become obscured, Ron helped Diane take on an active advocacy to document the life and accomplishments of her father. In 2001, the Walt Disney Family Foundation released The Man Behind the Myth, a documentary film about Walt’s life featuring interviews with his colleagues, peers, and family—including Ron, who has only spoken publicly about his Disney career in support of Diane’s projects.

After Diane’s passing in 2013, Ron became President of the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Family Museum, leading the institution into a new era as an independent nonprofit organization and underscoring his commitment to carrying on its ideals and mission.

Today, Diane and Ron's children and grandchildren proudly continue to carry their family's legacy forward.

Jon Emmerich is only the second lead winemaker in the history of Silverado Vineyards. During his years at the winery, he has grown Silverado’s reputation for quality and consistency.

Growing up in Redwood City, Jon remembers his parents drinking Mateus Rosé and Blue Nun, popular wine brands in the 70s. Jon’s introduction to California wines began at The University of California, Davis where, on a lark, he enrolled in the fermentation science program. It was then that he was introduced to the greater world of California wine. As it turns out, Jon’s lessons took place not only in the classroom, but also in his dorm room. He and a dormmate, whose family owned a small farm and winery in Lodi, decided to use some of the family fruit to make wine in their dorm room. At that point, Jon realized that if he could make a decent red blend in a dorm room, then he could make a very good wine in a winery.

In 1985, Jon headed to France for an internship where he augmented his knowledge of the traditional winemaking craft. After graduating from The University of California, Davis in 1987 with a BS in Fermentation Science, Jon worked a harvest at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. He then spent a year at Conn Creek Winery and Sebastiani Vineyards before joining Silverado Vineyards in 1990.

Jon is a past president of the Napa Valley Wine Tech Group and past president of the Winemaking Techniques Committee of the California Enological Research Association.

Winemaking is just one part of what Jon does at Silverado Vineyards. He spends a lot of time on the road, meeting customers and carrying the Silverado story outside the Napa Valley. He works in Silverado’s estate vineyards to better understand the terroir and tell its story through the wines.

“If my staff enjoys their work and our customers enjoy our wines, then I have done my job. In the end, that’s what really matters.”

-Jon Emmerich

Based outside of Orlando on Florida’s East Coast, Pamela Ford leads the national sales efforts for Silverado Vineyards. She also manages two regional sales brokers: Pacific Southern Wine Co. in the Southeast and Crawford-Malone in the Southwest. Pamela joined Silverado in 2011 from Folio Fine Wine Partners, in Napa, where she represented 20+ family-owned wineries from around the globe, including iconic Venetian producer, Masi Agricola, for whom she previously worked as US market manager.

Before joining Masi, Pamela was a fine wine manager for Rémy Cointreau, where she managed sales, wine education and brand training for all sales channels for prestigious brands such as Masi, Antinori, Vietti, Biondi-Santi, Domaine Laroche Chablis and Piper & Charles Heidsieck. Pamela was a recipient of Remy's Premium Choice Top Sales Award for 2005-2006 for her work with Merryvale Vineyards, Napa, and earned her WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Intermediate Certification with Distinction. Pamela began her career in Florida with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. as a member of their original contemporary marketing team. She then transitioned into business development with Allied Domecq Spirits & Wine, where she managed many facets of regional marketing for wine and spirits brands, both domestic and duty-free.

Pamela discovered her passion for wine while living in California and successfully launched and grew a start-up sales territory in Florida for NY-based Tricana Imports, boutique importer/distributor of fine Italian, French and Spanish wines. Pamela and her husband, Randy, live at the beach and enjoy surfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), international travel, food and wine with family and close friends, and practicing yoga in their free time.

“Every day, I wake up and wonder, “What’s the rest of the world doing today?” Everyone here gives 110% and I feel very privileged to represent this iconic estate, where everyone wears many hats and is committed to a common goal of bringing ‘affordable luxury’ to both trade and consumers. We are also fortunate to be able to look and think ‘long-term’ at Silverado. As a sales director, I approach my role in the spirit of partnership and encouragement — not only with our own team but also with trade and distributor sales partners — because the world has enough critics already.”

-Pamela Ford

A 30-year veteran of the wine industry, Kimberli Rogers serves as the Silverado Vineyards’ director of western sales and national chains and retailers. In this role, Kimberli manages, directs, plans and coordinates the sales efforts and leads Silverado’s sales team for the national chains and across the western US. She manages the company’s relationships with distributors, national and independent on and off-premise accounts in these key regions.

Kimberli joined Silverado in 2010 as the first full-time director of sales at Silverado Vineyards, bringing extensive experience and contacts that she gathered building brands at Classic Wines, Hess Collection, King Estate and Palhmeyer.

Kimberli started her career as a public servant working for the Poway and Carlsbad Fire Departments and the California Highway Patrol. During this time, she also worked in fine dining restaurants and transitioned into the industry after developing a passion for wine.

“Our wines are spectacular, and the Miller family is such a pleasure to work with such a unique story. Silverado really is home to me and I love sharing all that it offers to our customers.”

-Kimberli Rogers

Elena Franceschi joined Silverado Vineyards in 1995 as the laboratory director. In 1997, she became the winery’s assistant winemaker and in 2015, she was appointed to associate winemaker alongside winemaker Jon Emmerich.

A California native, Elena grew up on a farm in the Sacramento River delta region. As a first-generation Italian-American, much of the produce for family meals came from the garden, and as part of the culture, there was always wine on the table.

Elena graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in viticulture and enology, where she also served as a teaching assistant. Previous positions in her career as a winemaker were at Chateau St. Jean, Sonoma-Cutrer and Mumm Napa Valley.

In addition to her winemaking duties, Elena oversees the winery’s olive groves and olive oil production.

“Never miss an opportunity to taste a wine, and travel as much to other winemaking regions as possible—you learn so much when you’re out and about in the wider world.”

-Elena Franceschi

As president of Silverado Vineyards, Russ Weis oversees all the operations of the iconic family-owned winery. Russ grew up in a family of farmers in Madera, California, working in the vineyards with his father and grandfather. This experience proved to be the foundation of a career in California fine wine. Russ moved to the Napa Valley in 1981 to pursue degrees in literature and French at Pacific Union College, spending a year in Haut-Savoie in France. Upon graduation, he taught English language and literature at a small liberal arts college in Japan.

In 1987, Russ returned to Napa Valley and joined the Christian Brothers Winery in St. Helena as a tour guide, eventually working his way up to a position in public relations. International Distillers & Vintners Ltd. purchased Christian Brothers Winery in 1989. The following year, the organization put Russ’s global experience to work as their global brand manager for California wines.

In 1993, Russ joined Robert Mondavi Winery where he led the Asia/Pacific export business. He held several leadership roles at the winery, including director of public relations for Opus One. In 2000, Russ was named senior vice president for international business development, a position he held until joining Silverado Vineyards in 2004.

Russ has served as chairman of the Stags Leap District Association and the Napa Valley Vintners Association, as well as various nonprofits including the Napa Valley Symphony, and as founding honorary chair of the Oakland Wine Festival.

Nora leads the marketing and direct-to-consumer efforts for Silverado Vineyards. She is responsible for creating the winery’s marketing and communications strategy and oversees the tasting room, wine club, and e-commerce departments. Having spent her entire career in marketing and hospitality, for the last 15 she has immersed herself in the wine industry.

Prior to joining Silverado, Nora held executive marketing roles at Delicato Family Vineyards, Trinchero Family Estates, and Constellation Brands – working on some of the most recognized wine and spirits brands in the world including Robert Mondavi Winery, Sutter Home, Kim Crawford, Joel Gott, Bota Box, Corona, and Tres Agaves Tequila.

While completing her MBA, Nora spent her international semester working on a wine business project in Italy, Germany, and California and realized that her passion for the products extended to the industry.

Nora holds an MBA from the University of Colorado, in addition to BS and BA degrees in marketing and advertising from the University of South Florida.

When not working, Nora enjoys teaching and practicing yoga, cooking, hiking, and spending time with her teenage son and rescue dog.

" In Italy, they add work and life onto food and wine." – Robin Leach