Our People

Peter Chow, Proprietor
Peter Chow is the proprietor of Rutherford Bench LLC, a new entity whose brands include Howell Mountain Vineyards. Chow’s previous career spanned over 35 years in trans-Pacific air freight and global logistics. In July 1999, he formed USF Asia Group Ltd., later renamed Meridian IQ Asia, which was recently purchased by Yellow Roadway Corporation, the largest trucking company in the world. Chow studied mechanical engineering at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Chow first visited Napa in 1985, and like so many others who have come here, fell in love with the lifestyle and the beauty of the Valley, eventually moving here with his family. He lives in St, Helena with his wife, Vicky.

Jack Stuart, Winemaker & General Manager
Jack Stuart is a veteran of every California harvest since 1975. He is a recipient of the Robert Mondavi Trophy for Winemaker of the Year presented by the International Wine and Spirit Competition, as well as accolades from the Wine Spectator, the Los Angeles Times, the Wine News and numerous other journals. Active in industry affairs, Stuart is past president of both the Napa Valley Vintners and the Stags Leap District Winegrowers Association. A fifth-generation Californian who grew up among Santa Clara Valley orchards, Stuart received a bachelor’s degree from Stanford and took his graduate study in viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis. He lives in St. Helena with his wife, Loraine, a farmworker advocate for Napa Valley Community Housing.

Zelock Chow, Manager
Zelock Chow is a manager of Rutherford Bench LLC, overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations since its inception in 2005. His love of good wine and food, which has grown out of sharing a lifetime of experiences with his father, has brought him to the Napa Valley. He hopes to continue to learn about wine and the wine business, and to share the wine country lifestyle with others. Chow graduated with a degree in history from Columbia University, and lives in Rutherford.