KAMEN ESTATE WINES 111B E. Napa St. Sonoma CA 95476 (707) 938-7292 kamenwines.com PEOPLE Although owner Robert Kamen had purchased the estate in 1980, he didn’t release his first wine under his own label until 1999. The Grateful Dead once tested their new sound system in the natural amphitheater where his vineyards now stand. …
PRESTON FARM AND WINERY 9282 W. Dry Creek Rd. Healdsburg CA 95448 (707) 433-3372 prestonfarmandwinery.com PEOPLE When Lou Preston first arrived to the Dry Creek area of Sonoma in 1973, he found himself surrounded by a plethora of Italian immigrants as neighbors. Though his formal education in wine took place at U.C. Davis, it …
WIND GAP (BOTTLE) 6780 McKinley St., Suite 170 Sebastopol CA 95472 (707) 331-1393 windgapwines.com PEOPLE Pax and Pamela Mahle established Wind Gap as a way to focus their coastal Syrah vineyard sources in a more geographically and stylistically cohesive label. Having always made naturally low alcohol high acid wines thanks to the proximity to …
ARNOT-ROBERTS 33 Healdsburg Ave. Healdsburg CA 95448 (707) 433-2400 arnotroberts.com PEOPLE With a central focus on Syrah, Arnot-Roberts helped show the freshness and energy possible from the variety in extremely cool climate vineyards. Together Nathan Roberts and Duncan Arnot Meyers own Arnot-Roberts. They make the wine together though Roberts has a stronger focus in the winery …
PENCE 1909 CA-246 Buellton CA 93427 (805) 735-7000 pencevineyards.com PEOPLE Pence Ranch is overseen by Blair Pence, winegrower and proprietor, who set out to bring together the best team to oversee vineyard management and winemaking. Sashi Moorman is the tireless whirlwind behind the wines while the vineyards are managed by Francisco Ramirez. VINEYARDS 38 acres …
HUDSON (COIN) 5398 Sonoma Hwy. Napa CA 94559 (707) 255-1455 hudsonranch.com PEOPLE Lee Hudson exudes a boundless energy and visible eagerness to share the vision of his ranch with anyone who will listen. He first came to the valley in 1975 and after almost 40 years is more keen than ever on experimentation and stewardship …
LEDGE VINEYARDS 5414 Vineyard Dr. Paso Robles CA 93446 (805) 434-8663 ledgevineyards.com PEOPLE Owners Mark and Ciera Adams are musicians turned winegrowers, perhaps explaining why they make such soulful wines. When his family moved back to Paso Robles to farm the family property, he was inspired to plant vineyard instead of orchards thanks to …
RAEN 21692 8th St. East Sonoma CA 95476 (707) 633-3016 raenwinery.com PEOPLE RAEN (Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally) is a new project from the youngest generation of the Mondavi family. The inspiration for RAEN stems from the Pinot Noir that Carlo and Dante’s father and grandfather used to make in the 1960s and …
TURLEY WINE CELLARS 3358 St. Helena Hwy. St. Helena CA 94574 (707) 963-0940 turleywinecellars.com PEOPLE Turley Wine Cellars is a brainchild of Frog’s Leap co-founder Larry Turley, a former physician. Wanting to shift his focus to old vine Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, he divested from Frog’s Leap and started hunting for old vineyards for his …
LICHEN ESTATE 11001 County Rd. 151 Boonville CA 95415 (707) 895-7949 lichenestate.com PEOPLE With one winery and an organic foods business under his belt, owner Douglas Stewart launched Lichen after reacquiring the site of his previous winery (the acclaimed Breggo), this time abandoning the négociant model and growing his own grapes. VINEYARDS Stuart planted the …