Two engineers and their families started this winery in 1972, around their day jobs. Here is how it got from there to Big Basin Way.
1972
Bob and Anna-Maria Roudon and Jim and June Smith found the winery. Bob and Jim met as engineers at Amdahl, in the early days of Silicon Valley's computer industry. That spring they buy vineyard land high in the Santa Cruz Mountains and start making wine around their day jobs. The first crush happens in a tiny basement, with both families helping. In time, both couples quit their jobs and move to the mountains.
1978
Bob and Jim design and build a bigger winery near Scotts Valley, with room for 10,000 cases. They also set a goal that still holds: a size the winery's own people can run by hand.
2003
As both couples ease into retirement, the winery scales back to 2,000 cases a year. In 2003 they sell it and retire for good.
2006
Al Drewke buys half the winery and takes the lead, after almost 30 years in electronics and a wine MBA from Bordeaux Business School. He hires Brandon Armitage as winemaker, after Brandon's stints in Colorado and New Zealand.
2008
The new team grows to about 5,000 cases with the 2008 crush. Then the recession hits, the distributor drops the winery, and hard years follow.
2011
Al takes full ownership and moves the winery from Scotts Valley to Watsonville.
2012
Brandon decides to focus only on Pinot Noir, and Mikael Wargin takes over the winemaking. He still makes our wines today.
TODAY
We make our wine at a shared production facility in San Carlos, with trained staff and a full lab. You taste it in our tasting room in Saratoga village.
We look for small growers on California's Central Coast and stay with them for the long term. The goal is great fruit, and getting back to 5,000 cases a year.
Our wines have won medals from the very beginning.
Redesign by @Criztian