American Heroes: Lindsay Hoopes fights to save her family’s Napa winery
Lindsay Hoopes never planned to run her family’s Napa winery. But when her father became seriously ill, she came home to carry on what he had built.
Now she’s fighting to save it.
In this episode of American Heroes, Lindsay sits down with Kathy Hoekstra to tell the story herself: How a dispute with Napa County over wine tastings and other winery activities became more than $3.5 million in fines and legal fees, and what the fight has cost her family.
“I feel like it’s taken everything from us,” Lindsay says. The battle continued even while her newborn twins were in intensive care. She describes why she kept going—and what it felt like to face the County’s team of lawyers while trying to hold onto her family’s legacy.
With Pacific Legal Foundation’s help, Lindsay is appealing the crushing judgment as an unconstitutional excessive fine. Part of that judgment would make her family pay the outside lawyers Napa County hired to fight them.
Listen to Lindsay tell Kathy what happened, what this fight has taken from her, and why she refuses to give up.
American Heroes with Kathy Hoekstra is a monthly radio report from Pacific Legal Foundation airing on American Radio Journal. Each episode defends liberty, empowers individuals, and celebrates the heroes who stand up for what’s right. If you’re standing up to unlawful government overreach, we’d love to hear your story. Contact us at .
Be sure to follow American Heroes on your favorite podcast platform to be notified whenever a new episode drops.
Catch up on previous episodes of American Heroes:
- Episode Ten: Yi Fang Chen fights for equal opportunity in New York City schools – Listen
- Episode Nine: A special America 250 Edition – Listen
- Episode Eight: The government took their children at 1 a.m. without a warrant – Listen
- Episode Seven: Is a doctor’s call a crime? – Listen
- Episode Six: Beating illegal tariffs with Eva St. Clair and Rebecca Melsky – Listen
- Episode Five: When the government wipes out your property rights and your family legacy—overnight – Listen
- Episode Four: Fighting for homeowners’ rights with Christina Martin – Listen
- Episode Three: Her family built a safe product. The government destroyed their business. – Listen
- Episode Two: From Steinway to sawdust: The fight to save Alaska’s last timber mill – Listen
- Episode One: When California regulates Pennsylvania trucking – Listen
