California
Wine Families - The Next Generation
SAN
FRANCISCO- Family-owned businesses account
for more than 90 percent of U.S. businesses, responsible
for half of the country's gross domestic product
and about three-quarters of America's new jobs.1
Most of California?s 2,000 wineries are also owned
by families. They are a major economic engine in
the state that has an economic impact of $45.4 billion
on California's economy.
A unique feature about California's wine families
is that the family name is often on the wine label.
This usually means that the family will choose the
path to quality in business or production decisions
because its family name, and thus its reputation,
is at stake. Family members tend to be loyal and
dedicated to the family enterprise and the family
presence in winery jobs provides continuity in passing
institutional knowledge on to others at the winery.
Finally, family members will work to keep the business
valuable and reputable so it can be passed on to
their children.
California's wine families become versed in all
aspects of the wine business, learning grapegrowing,
winemaking, marketing and hospitality in the tasting
room and events. Throughout California,
wine lovers can meet the interesting personalities
behind their favorite wines. The following
is a brief sketch of some of the wine families from
Sonoma, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles,
Monterey, Lodi and Amador wine regions.
SONOMA COUNTY
Sonoma County has an unparalleled wine history,
with the first grapes planted in 1812 at Fort Ross
on the Sonoma Coast, and California's oldest premium
winery, Buena Vista, founded in 1857.
With Sonoma's combination of history, heritage,
and new winemakers, the county is home to many dynamic
multi-generational family wineries. Included
among these are Foppiano Vineyards, founded in 1896.
It is still family-owned, with fourth-generation
winegrower Louis Foppiano continuing the family
tradition of distinctive and robust Petite Sirahs.
Gallo is one of the most recognizable names in the
wine world, yet Gallo Family Vineyards is still
family-owned and is at the forefront of the sustainable
agriculture movement. Under the guidance of
third-generation family members Matt Gallo and Gina
Gallo, the winery takes pains to plant only half
its acreage to grapevines, leaving the other half
in its natural state.
Another leader in sustainability is Seghesio Family
Vineyards, which under fourth-generation winegrower
Ted Seghesio, has shifted to producing almost exclusively
estate-grown wines.
In the Sonoma Valley, Mike and Mary Benziger first
discovered the 85-acre Glen Ellen property that
would give Benziger Family Winery a home in 1980.
Today, two generations involving more than two dozen
Benzigers are affiliated with the estate winery.
The family's passion is to craft wines with a distinct
sense of place that reflects Sonoma Mountain winegrowing.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
The winemaking heritage at Bargetto's Santa Cruz
Winery began with brothers Phillip and John Bargetto
who emigrated from Castelnuovo Don Bosco, a small
town in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.
The Bargetto family winemaking heritage continued
with John's son Lawrence during the 1960's and 1970's.
He introduced modern technology such as stainless
steel fermentation, barrel aging, and added new
Santa Cruz Mountains varietals such as Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay. The third generation of Bargetto
family members now directs the operation of the
winery.
Founded by Bill and Brenda Murphy in 1992, Clos
LaChance in Saratoga has grown from its backyard
“roots" into a 60,000 case per year wine
business. As the business has grown over the years,
the Murphy?s have enlisted the help of their two
daughters; Cheryl Murphy Durzy and Kristin Murphy.
Cheryl manages sales and marketing for Clos LaChance
and its subsidiaries. Kristin manages the events
portion of the business as well as the vineyard
management company CK Vines.
Founding winemaker George Cooper of Cooper-Garrod
Estate Vineyards in Saratoga planted the first Cabernet
Sauvignon in 1972 with his nephew Jan Garrod, thinking
of it as a retirement hobby when he would retire
from test piloting at NASA/Ames. In the ensuing
22 years, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc were added
on lands farmed by the family since 1893.
George took courses at UC Davis and learned from
fellow winemakers in the Santa Cruz Mountains and
on visits to France. Spring of 1994 heralded
the first commercial release for Cooper-Garrod,
and in 1996, son Bill completed a career in the
Foreign Service to return to the ranch where he
grew up and joined his father in winemaking.
Although the second generation to join the winemaking
effort, Bill and his cousin Jan are first generation
in the Cooper-Garrod agricultural heritage.
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
When visiting wineries in San Luis Obispo County,
you are bound to meet a family member of the winery
who may be harvesting fruit or pouring a glass of
wine in the tasting room. The family nature of the
business helps create the family feeling throughout
the winery.
The Niven family is now into its third generation
in the industry, growing winegrapes since the 1960s
for their Baileyana Winery and Edna Valley Vineyard
in San Luis Obispo. The Niven's third generation
is taking the business to the next level with a
new brand, tangent, which focuses solely on alternative
white wines, one of the first brands to do so.
To experience another family run and operated winery,
stop by Kynsi Winery in Arroyo Grande where Don
and Gwen Othman have had their hands in the wine
industry for over 25 years. Two daughters run the
tasting room which is located in a renovated 1940's
dairy.
At Ortman Family Vineyards, Dad Chuck Ortman has
been making wine for over 20 years in San Luis Obispo
County and has recently started winemaking with
his son Matt Ortman. They specialize in limited
production Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Sangiovese.
Paso Robles
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in
Paso Robles Wine Country as many family-owned and
operated businesses prepare for the next generation
to lead the business and move the industry forward.
From viticulture to winemaking to sales and
marketing to operations, the second generation is
stepping up in all aspects of the business. Working
hand-in-hand with their families, the next generation
is already making an impression on the growing Paso
Robles wine industry.
At J. Lohr Vineyards and Winery, the second generation;
Steve, Cynthia and Lawrence, work in vineyard development,
sales and marketing. Steve Lohr is spearheading
winery expansion both in Paso Robles and in Monterey.
At Peachy Canyon, both sons, Josh and Jake are active
in winemaking and sales roles. At Steinbeck
Vineyards, three generations actively work with
the vineyard?father Howie, daughter Cynthia and
grandson Ryan. Austin Hope is another example
of the second generation leading the winemaking
and overseeing all aspects of the business at Treana
and Austin Hope wineries. Jason Hass at Tablas
Creek serves as General Manager, learning from his
father. In all cases the second generation
is taking a leadership role in helping Paso Robles
achieve its full potential on the national and global
front.
MONTEREY
In Monterey County, the next generations of Wente,
Scheid, and Smith families are all carrying on the
traditions of their pioneer parents.
Wente Vineyards is California's oldest continuously
family owned and operated winery. Established in
1883 by C.H. Wente, the fourth and fifth generations
of the Wente family are actively involved in vineyard
and winery operations. Karl Wente, great-great-grandson
of the founder, is the winemaker, and his sister,
Christine Wente, is in charge of marketing.
Al Scheid had a wonderful vision for the Monterey
wine industry when he co-founded Scheid Vineyards
in 1972. Today, his children are carrying
through on that vision to be one of the largest
independent growers of premium wine grapes.
Scott Scheid serves as President and CEO and Heidi
Scheid is the Senior Vice president. One of
their most recent accomplishments is the opening
of the new Scheid Vineyards Winery with their father
in August 2005.
At Paraiso Vineyards, the founding vineyard in the
Santa Lucia Highlands appellation, winegrower Rich
Smith is working side-by-side with son Jason.
“After 40 years of living and working on this
“heavenly" spot, it's gratifying to see
my children taking over" Jason is a very talented
vineyard manager, committed to the high quality,
“sustainable" Paraiso ideal."
LODI
Many of Lodi's winegrowing families have been in
the area for over 100 years. These families are
genuinely rooted in the soil, and have worked to
build Lodi?s reputation as a premium winegrowing
region. Over the last decade these dedicated
winegrowers have sparked a remarkable transition,
one that has catapulted Lodi into the vinous spotlight.
Fifth and sixth generation winegrowers like the
Phillips family, the Mettler family and the Lange
family are vertically integrating creating their
own wine brands and building recognition for Lodi
Wine Country as a producer of fine wines.
A recent trend in Lodi Wine Country is the returning
of the children after college to the family business.
A number of families are integrating the next generation
into the family business in viticulture, enology
and business management positions enhancing the
expertise and knowledge of the business and the
region. The next generation is a driving force behind
a number of local wineries, driven by the desire
to highlight the quality wine produced and the culture
in the region.
AMADOR COUNTY
Prospering for 30 years in the California wine business
is no small feat for a family winery crafting organically
grown wines in an off-the-beaten-path wine region.
In 1977, Leon and Shirley Sobon brought their six
children from the San Francisco Bay Area to Amador
County's Shenandoah Valley to establish Shenandoah
Vineyards. Twelve years later, the family acquired
the historic D'Agostini Winery and renamed it Sobon
Estate. Today, the Sobons are widely respected throughout
California wine circles for their innovative grape-growing,
winemaking and marketing practices. In 1989,
they were among the first in California to embrace
organic grape growing, and their 160 acres of estate
vines are now certified organic. The family also
pioneered Rhône grape varieties in the Sierra
Foothills, conducted important trials with rootstocks,
clones, trellising systems and yeast strains, and
were among the first to commission original artwork
for their wine labels.
Today, Leon and Shirley's children carry on the
family tradition. Son Paul is winemaker for both
Shenandoah Vineyards and Sobon Estate while his
brother Robert oversees customer relations. The
Sobon family is intent on making wine in Amador
County for many years to come.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared September
2006 as California Wine Month, and now is a great
time to visit the state's wine regions, as special
events and complimentary wine tastings are being
offered at many wineries. Visit
www.californiawinemonth.com
to learn more about what is happening in California
wine country.
Retailers, restaurateurs and other significant partners
are also supporting California Wine Month 2006.
Partners for 2006 include Safeway Stores (which
is promoting California wine in 22 states), Cost
Plus World Market, Beverages and More, P.F. Chang's
China Bistro, Morton's Steakhouses, Tavistock Restaurant
Group, Joie de Vivre Hotels, the San Francisco Chronicle,
the California Restaurant Association and Culinary
Institute of America at Greystone.
# # #
San Francisco State University Business and International
Education (BIE) Grant “Family Wineries"
Project, http://bie.sfsu.edu/family
Wine Institute
Contact: Gladys Horiuchi
415/356-7525
communications@wineinstitute.org
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