About
Our Story
Lightwell Survey is a Virginia winery shining a new light on the traditional wine-scape. Our small batches of lively reds, dense whites and unique combinations of the two come with no preconceived descriptions or traditional aspirations. We aim for a bullseye yet prefer to land slightly off center. Started in the fall of 2015 with our first harvest in partnership with Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison, VA, our wines will continue to delve into traditional and not so familiar territory as we bring our wines to market. Formed by partners Sebastian Zutant, Ben Jordan, Jay Zutant, Julian Caustrita, and John DeNapoli.
Sebastian
Raised in the DC suburbs, Sebastian Zutant attended the College of Charleston before returning to the District to navigate his way through the city’s restaurant ranks, including a stint at Nectar before opening Komi, overhauling the beverage program at Rasika, spearheading the wine list at Proof, opening Red Hen in 2013 and All Purpose in 2016. As the former lead singer for SuperKid, his real-life experiences have tainted him in a manner that explains a lot. As a disappointed Bills fan, Sebastian lives in D.C. where he opened up the neighborhood French spot, Primrose.
Ben
Ben is the winemaker and vineyard liaison for Lightwell. He joined the Zutant brothers, lured by the possibility of working as a micro-negoce on the fringes of the wine industry in Virginia. He worked for an wine importer in San Francisco and made wine in Sonoma County before returning to his home state to join the evolution of East Coast wine.
Jay
Hailing from the great State of Maryland, Jay is on the hook for the business operations of Lightwell. Jay is a beer guy who brings the craft lens and his bullshit to the group. Surprisingly, he was actually employed by StubHub/eBay for a bunch of years, no one is really sure what Jay did there, but he did show Sebastian his badge once. His lack of business knowledge is currently hindering the growth of Lightwell. Living in the hamlet of Mill Valley, CA with his wife Juli and dog Jackson, Jay should probably not even be recognized here.
Julian
An aspiring dancer from the flats of California and first mate of the Juno, Julian Caustrita got his start as a street magician after a stint at California Poly Tech. Due to a tragic accident involving a giraffe and a pumpkin he decided to pivot his skills and focus on branding, package design, and user experiences over in Cali. As a Creative Director by trade, he's worked with loads of brands to create lasting strategic impressions that leave most questioning what he can’t do. Julian lives in and rarely leaves Sausalito with his fiancé Sophie, dog Meatball, bocce ball trophies, and an overflowing whiskey collection.
John
As an architect by trade, John DeNapoli specializes in restaurant and hospitality design. John works alongside local chefs and restaurants to create somewhat memorable dining and drinking experiences in the Mid-Atlantic. John’s current claim to fame at Lightwell is that he copied all of the images for the 2015 wines from his grade school coloring book. Hailing from outside Boston, MA and barely graduating from Syracuse University, he is currently living on the streets of Washington D.C.
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