Kelley & Jim Bailey

As co-owners of the beautiful Knights Bridge Winery in Sonoma County, California, Kelley and Jim Bailey share a commitment to excellence and to giving back. Together, they work tirelessly to generously support a wide range of philanthropic endeavors through their foundation.

Jim has had a diverse career, from investment and financial advisor to environmental entrepreneur to vintner. He formed Cambridge Associates in 1973 to provide investment and financial planning services to nonprofit, endowed institutions. His alma mater, Harvard University, was his first client and for almost 50 years since Cambridge Associates has been a leading voice in building institutional-quality portfolios for endowments, foundations, pensions, and private clients. Jim also co-founded the Plymouth Rock Co., a New England auto and homeowners’ insurance company.

Combining his passion for wine with farming, Jim and a group of family and friends purchased a 100-acre parcel of land in 2006. Understanding that great wine starts in the vineyard, they adopted new, sustainable vineyard management techniques, replanted portions of the estate and hired a team of seasoned professionals who shared their ambition to produce the best wines possible.

A New York native, Kelley Bailey began her career in wine early on. Her introduction to the industry started in 1987 at Bridgehampton Winery on Long Island. After a few years, she moved to Northern California with another small winery, and in 1993 Kelley began working with Jackson Family Wines. In 2007, she became Executive Vice President of Marketing, working closely with founders Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke to spearhead marketing strategy and brand development across the company portfolio. In 2011, she was named President of the Spire Collection, the company’s portfolio of luxury wines. In her role she managed all strategy and development including brand marketing, national sales, direct-to-consumer, hospitality and culinary. After nearly 30 years with Jackson Family Wines, Kelley retired and is now serving in an advisory role to the Banke-Jackson family and senior leadership at JFW.

With more than three decades of wine industry experience, Kelley brings exceptional vision and expertise to help shape the future of Knights Bridge Winery. In early 2020, Kelley and Jim embarked on a long-awaited project to build a winery on the estate where they are now making wine and welcoming visitors. The winery, designed by world-renowned architects Howard Backen and John Taft of Backen & Gillam, is the second-ever built in Knights Valley and its construction is the culmination of nearly a decade of thoughtful planning and designing.

The Baileys enjoy spending time with their five grandchildren on the beautiful Knights Bridge estate vineyard, instilling in them a love of the land.