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Norm Yost graduated from the University of California, Davis with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies in 1981. When his college roommate graduated from the winemaking program with a job and Norm didn’t have employment, he morphed from a beer drinking football player into a winemaking craftsman. During his 35+ vintages in the industry, Norm worked for diverse wineries in cool climate regions, from Oregon’s Willamette Valley to the Russian River in Sonoma County and finally Santa Barbara County. He attributes his vast experience in the industry to the success of Flying Goat Cellars, which he launched in 2000. As the proprietor of his own business, Norm enjoys the freedom to focus on his passion for making vineyard designated Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. Half of Norm’s winemaking career has now been in Santa Barbara County, where he celebrates working with the exceptional local fruit. He is currently a board director of World of Pinot Noir; formerly a board director of Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance and Santa Barbara County Vintners Association and a winemaking instructor at Allan Hancock College.

Flying Goat

Skinny Vine wines are made by Assistant Winemaker Dawn Wells, who has a passion for making and enjoying wines. “From the moment I learned that a career in winemaking was a possibility, I was interested” says Dawn. She has been with Treasury Wine Estates since 2006 and is excited to have created a line of wines that deliver rich, ripe flavors while offering wine drinkers a way to consume fewer calories. “I love the mix of science and art that makes winemaking slightly unpredictable and a great deal of fun – and I’m happy to be crafting wines that people enjoy and share with others.”

www.theskinnyvine.com/

(No longer judging)

Proprietor Ken Volk has been making Santa Barbara and Central Coast wines for more than a quarter century. Perhaps best known as the founder of Wild Horse Winery, Ken has earned a reputation for crafting world-class wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Santa Maria Valley.

Ken’s unparalleled knowledge and skill have garnered him immediate recognition for producing luxury wines of exceptional character with his new brand, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, located in Santa Maria Valley.

In many ways, Ken’s landing in Santa Maria is sort of a full circle journey. He made home wines from the nearby Rancho Sisquoc Vineyard in the 1970’s, and his first professional wine under the Wild Horse label was a 1983 Pinot Noir from the nearby Sierra Madre Vineyard. Rodolfo Callado, of Mesa Vineyard Management, who oversees the management of Kenneth Volk’s small estate vineyard, was Ken’s first employee at Wild Horse.

http://www.volkwines.com/

Growing up in a big Italian family, Winemaker Chris Pisani learned to appreciate the very aspects that make Napa Valley so memorable: great people, history, wine and food. During his formative years, Chris studied chemistry in college while experimenting with winemaking at home. He quickly was hooked, and Chris was destined to move to the Napa Valley wine country with his wife, Ina.

Chris followed the path of many Napa Valley renowned winemakers and attended UC Davis to study viticulture and enology. Chris fell headfirst into the world of winemaking and started down the path that would lead him to ZD Wines in 1996. As winemaker, Chris along with third generation assistant winemaker Brandon deLeuze, is responsible for producing ZD’s world class wines: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet. They strive to make the best wines in Napa Valley, and focus on quality, consistency, and style.

http://www.zdwines.com/

As the chairman and CEO of J. Lohr Winery, Steve Lohr combines a big picture view of the wine industry with a hands-on work ethic. In this role, Steve is responsible for the overall management and strategic planning of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

http://www.jlohr.com/

After securing his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Steven recognized that winemaking was his singular passion and he committed himself to making it his vocation. Shortly thereafter, he accepted a position as Cellar Assistant at Brander, where he had yet another opportunity to work for a distinguished Central Coast winemaker. In that position, he gained experience integrating an old-world winemaking approach with the opulent fruit of the central coast. He also gained experience working with Bordeaux varietals.

In 2003, with a yearning to work with Pinot Noir once again, Steven took the production assistant job at Rusack Vineyards. He saw Rusack as a place where he could “create quality-driven wines and be involved with the recently planted, state-of-the-art vineyard.” Steven has been with Rusack nearly eleven years, beginning as production assistant, moving on to Cellar Master, and working his way up to Assistant Winemaker.  While completing his Certificate in Winemaking at the esteemed University of California at Davis in 2012, Steven was appointed Winemaker.

At Rusack Vineyards, he oversees a portfolio of estate-grown, Rhone-inspired wines; the production of Anacapa, the popular Bordeaux style blend, and a Burgundy-inspired selection of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley appellations of Santa Barbara County. Our wine program also includes an estate-grown Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and several other notable offerings.

Additionally, Steven oversees all winemaking for the Santa Catalina Island Vineyards wine project; an elite collection of wines grown on Catalina Island.  Steven’s outstanding results speak for themselves and are testament to his talent, drive & commitment.

http://www.rusack.com/

Associate Winemaker, Benziger Family Winery and Imagery Estate Winery

“When it comes to making decisions on buying new products or reviewing methodologies, timely research and information are important to me as a winemaker. For example, a past article on wine bottle closures was helpful for setting up closure trials; while the recent article on extraction came out when we were dealing with maceration issues. Wine Business Monthly is a source of condensed research for me and it serves to refresh the mind.”

A 27-year veteran of Northern California winemaking. Born in Texas, John brings his sense of independence to make innovative choices when selecting vineyards and choosing winemaking methods for his exclusive collection of hand-crafted wines.

https://jrewines.com/