2026 HONORARY WINERY

In 2026, the vinNEBRASKA Foundation Board is honored to recognize and thank our honoray winery — Ballentine Vineyards!

Ballentine Vineyards, a family-owned Napa Valley estate with roots dating back to 1905, brings nearly 120 years of winemaking heritage to vinNEBRASKA. From immigrant pioneers to the fourth generation, the Ballentine family has nurtured vineyards like Pocai and Fig Tree with a commitment to sustainability, precision, and authentic Napa character. Under the leadership of Frank Ballentine and winemaker Bruce Devlin, the winery blends time-honored tradition with innovation—producing estate wines that reflect the land and their legacy. We are honored to welcome Ballentine as our 2026 Honorary Winery, sharing their story, wines, and spirit of generosity with the vinNEBRASKA community.

The vinNEBRASKA Foundation is honored to welcome Ballentine Vineyards as our 2026 Honorary Winery, celebrating their long-standing support and presence at our events since 2022.

For more than 120 years, the Ballentine family has cultivated Napa Valley roots with grit, craft, and character. Today, Ballentine Vineyards remains one of Napa’s few truly estate-grown and family-run wineries—farming sustainably, harvesting by hand, and honoring a legacy that began with immigrant farmers and evolved into a celebrated Napa wine estate. Their philosophy is simple and unwavering: stay connected to the land, farm with intention, and craft wines that reflect time, place, and heritage. From their hillside terroir to their hands-on winemaking, Ballentine wines offer purity, authenticity, and a deep sense of Napa’s past and future.

Jackie Deveney, who represents Ballentine at vinNEBRASKA and has also spoken at our 2024 Women of Wine Symposium, embodies the warm hospitality, knowledge, and generosity that define the winery and our community. We look forward to sharing their extraordinary portfolio—and story—with guests throughout this year’s events.

history of the honorary winery

Since 2008, the vinNEBRASKA Foundation Board has selected an Honorary Winery from among that year’s participants. We view this first and foremost as an act of gratitude for the generosity which that producer has shown over time to our important work as a charity here in Nebraska. We deeply appreciate every winery and every guest that attends our event each year, and we eagerly acknowledge the long-term contributions of those who return on an annual basis.

Past Honorary Wineries include Smith-Madrone (2008, 2021, 2025), Goosecross Cellars (2009), Mill Creek Vineyards (2010), Silver Oak Cellars (2011), Heitz Cellars (2012), Flora Springs Winery (2013), Trentadue (2014), Michael David Vineyards (2015), Cline (2016), Quady (2017), Fourth Estate Wines (2018), Rombauer Vineyards (2019), DeLille Cellars (2022), Seghesio Family Vineyards (2023), Materra | Cunat Vineyards (2024). There was no event held in 2020.