The mysterious Arkansas ag billionaire

Name: Gaylon Lawrence Jr.

Wineries: Heitz, Burgess, Stony Hill, Brendel, Ink Grade, Haynes

Acreage: 600 acres in Napa Valley

Why he matters: Perhaps no one in Napa Valley went from an entirely unknown entity to a major player as swiftly as Gaylon Lawrence Jr. When the Arkansas agricultural magnate purchased Heitz Cellar, one of Napa's most beloved icons, in 2018, it looked like a move out of the vanity-vintner playbook. But when Lawrence began buying up other highly regarded historic wineries, it became clear he was a canny strategist.

Lawrence himself largely stays out of the spotlight, handing that instead to his charismatic managing partner, the master sommelier Carlton McCoy. (Lawrence has repeatedly declined to give an interview to this newspaper.) But his business record speaks volumes. In addition to acquiring historic wineries Burgess and Stony Hill, Lawrence has purchased the famous Haynes Vineyard. Under McCoy's leadership, the company has created an estate wine brand from Haynes; spun off a new estate, Ink Grade, from a Howell Mountain vineyard that came with the Heitz acquisition; launched a more affordable, Millennial-focused brand, Brendel, complete with a hip tasting room in downtown Napa; and started an importing business, Demeine Estates. The company is not afraid to institute major changes, whether that means making less of Stony Hill's coveted Chardonnay, halting the production of Heitz's beloved, quirky Grignolino wine, or turning Heitz's modest tasting room — where tastings were always free — into a ritzy salon with $125 experiences. Not all of those updates have been met with unanimous approval from the winedrinking public. But change is never easy.