In 1844, Johann Heinrich Hess laid the first cornerstone for Hess Family Estates with the founding of his brewery in Berne, Switzerland. For more than 100 years, beer was the central business.

At the age of 20 when his father died, a young but bold Donald Hess took over the company and navigated a steep learning curve in the beer and hospitality industry. In the early 1960s, anticipating the surge of demand for bottled water, he created Valser Water, which would become Switzerland's leading mineral water company.

Always a pioneer and determined to follow his heart's passion, Mr. Hess embarked on a quest to explore and unite his love of wine and art. In 1978, his purchase of vineyards on Mount Veeder in the Napa Valley started an epic journey that would see vines planted and art museums built across the globe, culminating in the highest vineyard in the world in Argentina.

The vision to bring together business, creativity, culture and philanthropy means that today Hess Family Estates includes:

• Premium New World vineyards and wineries on four continents (USA, Australia, South Africa and Argentina)
• An international contemporary art collection housed in three winery museums open to the public.
• Worldwide properties and hospitality, with community projects aiding the local population where they have been needed.