Alan Viader didn’t find his way into winemaking—he was born into it. Raised on Howell Mountain amid his family’s vineyards, summers meant fieldwork, not vacations. By nine, he was already helping with harvest. The vineyard crews worked just outside the back door, and tractors were a daily backdrop. With Argentine roots and fluent Spanish, Viader naturally connected with the workers who shaped his earliest memories of winegrowing.

His mother set the tone of shared responsibility. It was a small family operation, and everyone had to pitch in. That upbringing grounded him in hard work and hands-on learning—lessons that still shape how he moves through the vineyard and cellar today. “It was fascinating, exciting, and challenging all at the same time,” he recalls. “I learned valuable lessons growing up in the vineyards.”

By 2002, Viader was managing the estate vineyard. Four years later, he stepped into the winemaking role, and eventually began consulting on side projects—including a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that stayed with him long after the bottles were gone. He paused consulting to focus on family but never lost the urge to make wines from expressive, off-estate sites.

In 2018, that urge returned. When the chance came to work with Pinot again, his wife suggested he do it for himself. That nudge led to Intentus—his personal label and a project with deeper purpose.

Earlier that year, Viader had joined the Napa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team. When wildfires devastated the valley, he helped evacuate residents. A year later, during the Camp Fire in Butte County, he deployed north again. Witnessing first responders and volunteers risk their lives left a lasting impact. Then, in 2020, the Glass Fire tore through his own Deer Park community, damaging the Viader property. This time, he couldn’t help—he wasn’t yet a firefighter.

That changed quickly. He applied to the local volunteer fire station and enrolled in the Napa County Fire Academy the following January. Becoming a first responder, he says, changed his entire perspective on the world.

Intentus became the bridge between his two worlds. It wasn’t just about making

wine—it was about using winemaking to support the first responder community he now called family. He needed it to be separate from the legacy brand. “It had to be personal and on my terms.”

That intentionality is more than branding—it’s a philosophy. Viader believes every decision in the vineyard and winery should reflect purpose. From fermentation to firefighting, precision matters. “There are life-and-death situations where you simply can’t fail,” he says. “You must be intentional in all your actions.”

Viader doesn’t chase routine. He doesn’t drink the same wine every day—and he doesn’t want his customers to either. Intentus is meant to surprise, to showcase both tradition and discovery. He prefers working with small growers who tend their vines personally and share his respect for the land. Each new Intentus wine starts small—a single ton of grapes from one site. It’s slow work by design—he’s not rushing anything.

In the cellar, Viader keeps things low-intervention and tactile: native yeasts, barrel fermentations, hand punch-downs, neutral French oak, no racking. He stirs the lees by hand to build mouthfeel and preserve delicate aromatics. That approach makes the wines a bit reserved when young, but they evolve beautifully with time.

Viader doesn’t want Intentus to be precious or exclusive. “I want to make great red wines that you don’t mind opening up on a Tuesday just because.” His rosé—a skin-contact Cabernet Sauvignon aged in barrel for seven months—is a prime example. Bone dry and vibrant, he sometimes throws it on ice with blood orange and mint. “It’s my answer to the French Lillet but without the sugar.”

He’s drawn to reds—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Grenache—and believes in showcasing how terroir shapes each bottle. One Cabernet, made from a high-elevation Napa vineyard with volcanic soils, captured the site’s intensity. The vines were hardened by their environment, and the wine carried that structure—tannic, mineral, and focused.

“Intentus allows me to open my wings as a winemaker,” Viader says. “It’s given me space to explore wines that would never be possible at VIADER. Different varieties, new regions—it’s a creative outlet.”

Today, Viader splits his time between the vineyard, the cellar, and the fireline. Intentus supports charitable giving to organizations that serve communities in crisis and first responders on the frontlines. He also extends special pricing to active and retired military, law enforcement, and emergency personnel.

Looking ahead, he’s especially excited about the 2023 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain—a vintage he describes as nearly perfect. He’s also still searching for the right Pinot Noir vineyard, eyeing the rugged landscapes of the Sonoma and Central Coast.

But Viader isn’t interested in expansion for its own sake. His long-term vision is focused: five wines from five distinct vineyards. No more. No less.

“I want to be the one making the wines, the one meeting customers, the one telling the stories,” he says. “That’s what makes this worth it.”

Wine Recommendations

• 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – Opens with an expressive bouquet of blackcurrant, blackberry, and subtle notes of wild herbs. On the palate, it delivers a dense core of ripe black fruit, seamlessly integrated with plush tannins and vibrant acidity that provide both structure and energy. Hints of dark chocolate, graphite, and toasted oak add complexity, while the wine’s freshness and precision elevate its overall balance. The finish is long, focused, and persistent, promising both immediate pleasure and impressive aging potential.
• 2022 Grenache, Adelaida District, Paso Robles – Notes of cranberry, pomegranate, and cherry, layered with subtle hints of black pepper. Lively acidity and silky tannins deliver a focused, elegant palate that balances bright fruit and refined structure.
• 2022 Syrah, Paso Robles – Opens with inviting aromas of dark berries and gentle spice. It’s smooth and balanced, with soft tannins and a long, fresh finish.
• 2023 Rosé, Napa Valley – Bursts from the glass with vibrant aromas of strawberries and white peach, underscored by a subtle earthy edge. Impeccably balanced, it delivers a core of red berries and citrus—framed by racy acidity and a lingering finish.