Napa Winemaker Benoit Touquette Transitions to Consulting Role at Realm Cellars

New Role Allows Touquette to Devote More Time on Personal Wines Teeter-Totter, Fait-Main

NAPA, Calif., March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Longtime Realm Cellars winemaker Benoit Touquette today announced he will transition to a new strategic consulting role that will allow him more time to focus on creative initiatives as well as devote time to personal winemaking projects Teeter-Totter and Fait-Main.

"It is an immense privilege to serve as Realm's winemaker," Touquette said. "After many years, and with exciting new projects on the horizon, I've decided this is the right time to turn day-to-day administrative duties over to a new team while I continue to handle the creative side of winemaking."

Touquette, in addition to being Realm's winemaker, is also a company shareholder and board member. He will continue to advise Realm on technical wine matters as well as on vineyard redevelopment and farming operations.

During Touquette's tenure, Realm has enjoyed 36 perfect 100 scores from major critics while at the same time, production has increased 1,000 % at the at three facilities. 

"Benoit has been a significant part of the Realm journey over the last 12 years and his contributions have helped to build Realm beyond our wildest dreams," said Scott Becker, CEO of Realm Cellars. "As we transition into the next phase of our winemaking journey, we are excited that we will be able to tap his knowledge of the business to ensure continuity as we deploy a larger leadership team to manage our operations."

This transition will free Touquette from the growing volume of administrative tasks and will give him additional time and freedom to focus on his personal wine projects including Teeter-Totter and Fait-Main as well as his winemaking for longtime friends at Bure Family Wines, Marciano Vineyards, Tierra Roja, Fairest Creatures, and Jack Quinn Cabernet.

When making wine, Touquette believes in reaching for a new ideal. His restless quest to expand the idea of perfection brings together the tradition of France with the freedom of Napa – a revelatory fusion of heritage and invention.

Born in Lyon, he graduated from the University of Bordeaux and in his early years built the foundation of his talents under world-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland. He soon became one of Napa Valley's most sought-after winemakers.

His own Teeter-Totter label marries the rigor of French winemaking to California creativity, with exquisite attention to every detail. Teeter-Totter, a brand started 10 years ago, supports the idea of living a life filled with good food, fun, friends and of course good wine.

His own Fait-Main label marries the rigor of French winemaking to California creativity, with exquisite attention to every detail. In French it simply means handmade, and these two words succinctly summarize his devotion and winemaking philosophy. With a focus primarily on single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the sites he believes to be Napa's best, Benoit's Fait-Main wines are cellar-essentials.

Touquette believes that wine is a connecting tool that brings people together to enjoy the kind of lifestyle that reflects the vision of Proprietor. With every vintage, he seeks new expressions that change perceptions of what perfection in wine can mean.

To join the mailing list for Teeter-Totter click here, to join the mailing list for Fait-Main, click here.

Contact: Sam Singer
Singer Associates Public Relations San Francisco
Email: [email protected] 
Cell: 415.336.4949

SOURCE Fait-Main Wines