“My parents introduced me to wine,” said Chris Phelps, of Swanson Vineyards & Winery. “They started making a barrel or two of zinfandel or cabernet when I was in high school — sometimes it was good, sometimes not so good.”

Phelps said he started to wonder why all wines weren’t created equal. Originally enrolled at UC Davis as a medical student, he then discovered the school’s renowned wine program and “never looked back.”

He’s been working as a winemaker in Napa Valley for 25 years. Before that, Phelps also studied winemaking in the Bordeaux region of France.

Which three people would you most like to have dinner with?

President Obama, Jesus and George W. Bush — all at the same time. There could be some great debate there. I think everybody would be cool.

What job would you like to try/not like to try?

My fantasy job would be playing lead guitar in a folk/rock/blues band.

I cannot imagine being president of the United States.

What was your first job?

Bicycle newspaper carrier for the Oakland Tribune.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

During my tenure at Swanson, I have specialized in merlot. That one line about merlot in the movie “Sideways” really impacted sales. We created a Web site “Merlot Fights Back,” did a nationwide merlot seminar and have made a lot of headway. Merlot is back — in fact, it never left.

Who do you most admire in the business world?

My winemaking mentor, Jean-Claude Berrouet, who was responsible for 44 vintages of Château Pétrus. A humble man, he is a poet at heart and seems to enjoy life immensely, which is very inspiring.

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?

I am an Indigo Girls groupie. The best Indigo Girls song of all time is “Closer to Fine.”

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?

Hiking somewhere in the mountains. I’ve had some great experiences exploring the mountains around Napa Valley with Boy Scout Troop 1 of St. Helena. We (recently) walked from Aetna Springs to Mt. St. Helena.

What’s one thing Napa could do to help local business?

Work in a creative manner with local investors and entrepreneurs to bring the beautiful Copia project back to life in some shape or form. Oxbow and the surrounding area are fantastic assets to Napa and a revitalized Copia will complete a very attractive destination for visitors and locals.

What’s the most significant project you’ve been involved with in your career?

I’ve been involved in two major winery startups: Dominus Estate in Yountville in the mid-’80s, and Treana Winery in Paso Robles in the mid-’90s. Both involved starting something from scratch and designing wines from specific terroirs.

What other business person(s) would you like to see featured in “10 Questions?”

Ming Luke, general director of the Napa Valley Youth Symphony.

Captain Kevin Trzcinski, Napa River Adventures.

Kevin Twohey, Whiting Nursery.

Each Wednesday the Napa Valley Register’s Business Focus asks “10 Questions” of a local entrepreneur or businessperson. Readers are welcome to suggest business people to be profiled. To suggest a candidate for “10 Questions” to e-mail: jhuffman@napanews.com