Duckhorn Portfolio has set the standard for American fine wine for four decades.

Our Mission

To have our wines poured and enjoyed wherever fine wines are served throughout North America and the world.

Executive Team

Robert Hanson

Chief Executive Officer

Robert Hanson has served as our Chief Executive Officer since February 2025. He is a seasoned executive with a strong track record of building, transforming, and scaling consumer businesses. Most recently, Robert served as the head of Constellation Brands’ Wine and Spirits Global Portfolio from 2019 to 2024 and as a director on the company’s board from 2013 to 2019. Prior to his role at Constellation, from 2014 to 2019, Robert served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of L Catterton-backed John Hardy, the sustainable luxury jewelry brand. In addition, Robert served as Chief Executive Officer at American Eagle Outfitters from 2012 to 2014, where he led the company’s transformation into a global, multi-channel, technology-enabled, and agile competitor. Earlier in his career, Robert had a distinguished 23-year tenure at Levi Strauss & Co., where he served in a number of roles with increasing responsibility, including Global President of the Levi’s Brand. Hanson has served on five Non-Profit Boards with a focus on youth development, social justice, HIV/AIDS education and prevention, and the arts. He is also a recognized leader in ESG, has been honored as an Out 100 LGBTQ+ Global Executive, has written for Time, and provided keynote speeches at several public and private events.

Nihar Bhatt

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Nihar Bhatt has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since April 2025 and leads the finance & accounting, financial planning & analysis, strategy, M &A and IT functions. Nihar most recently served as CFO of TOMS Shoes. Prior to this role, he served as Fractional CFO/Advisor, focusing on strategy, Capital structure optimization, M&A and operations at several consumer goods companies. From 2021 to 2023, Nihar served as the CFO of Alto Pharmacy where he led finance, strategy and corporate development. Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President of Finance at Constellation Brands Wine & Spirits Division, and he began his finance career at Pepsi Beverages Co. Nihar has more than 20 years of experience in finance, operations, M&A and strategy. He earned a Master of Business Administration from University of California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Cal State University, Fullerton.

Zachary Rasmuson

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Zach Rasmuson has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer since 2012, after serving as the winemaker and general manager for Goldeneye since joining the Company in 2003. Under his stewardship, Goldeneye was one of the first wineries to earn the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing distinction. Zach also spearheaded the building of Goldeneye’s state-of-the-art winemaking facility, which was only the second winery in California to achieve LEED Gold certification. Previously, Mr. Rasmuson worked for wineries such as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Robert Sinskey Vineyards and Husch Vineyards. Mr. Rasmuson received his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College.

Nicole Cummings

Chief People Officer

Nicole Cummings has served as our Chief People Officer since 2024 and leads her team in fostering a culture of creative autonomy that empowers employees to thrive. Since joining the company in 2022, she has built the foundation of the People team with her strengths in coaching, team building, leadership, and training while overseeing compensation and benefits, organizational development, talent acquisition, onboarding, talent development, employee relations, and strategic planning. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from California State University, Chico, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nebraska and has a quarter-century of HR leadership experience from roles at EAH Housing, Cakebread Cellars, Brecek and Young Advisors and Securities America.

Chanel Caplan

Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer

Chanel Caplan has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer since September 2026 and leads brand marketing, trade marketing, creative services and DTC. She brings over 15 years of experience and a proven track record of success in the industry. Prior to joining the company in 2025 as Senior Vice President, Brand Management, Premium Brands, Chanel was at Patco Brands, where she served as President of Rancho La Gloria, the company’s ready-to-drink margarita brand, and the #1 wine-based cocktail brand. Before Patco, she led critical growth for Kim Crawford and Meiomi at Constellation Brands, including Kim Crawford Illuminate. Chanel holds a Master of Science from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Berkeley.

Katrina Li

Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer

Katrina Li has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer since May 2025. With a robust track record in business transformation, she has contributed to numerous pivotal projects that have shaped operational success by aligning strategy with cross-functional initiatives such as integrated business planning and go-to-market processes. Her expertise in streamlining and orchestrating change initiatives has been instrumental in driving efficiency and excellence within organizations. She brings experience with business transformation across financial services, CPG, apparel, retail, luxury and wine and spirits with companies like Constellation Brands, John Hardy, Gap Inc., Levi Strauss & Co. and American Eagle Outfitters as well as a background in consulting with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and IBM. Katrina earned a Bachelor of Science from University of Virginia.

Paul Passaro

Executive Vice President, Chief Sales Officer

Paul Passaro has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Sales Officer since October 2026 and leads the wholesale sales, national accounts, export, sales strategy, analytics, and sales operations teams. He is a seasoned industry executive with more than 25 years of wine and spirits experience. Prior to joining the company, Paul served as Head of Sales at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers. He also spent nearly 18 years at E. & J. Gallo Winery, where he served as National Director of Sales & Marketing for the company’s Luxury Portfolio and, prior to that, as Sales Director for Luxury in the Western United States. Earlier in his career, he held sales roles at Breakthru Beverage Group giving him experience on both the supplier and distributor sides of the premium wine business. Paul holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business.

Adam Copley

Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer

Adam Copley has served as our Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel since February 2026. A Wine and Spirits industry veteran with more than a decade of experience, he oversees mergers and acquisitions, alcohol beverage trade practice and regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and risk management. Prior to this role, he served as General Counsel and Head of Human Resources at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, where he provided strategic and tactical legal support across the organization while managing risk and corporate governance. His experience encompasses marketing and strategic partnerships, commercial transactions, intellectual property, corporate and regulatory compliance, M&A, and new brand development. He holds a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Arizona. Adam is licensed to practice law in the State of Washington.