Everyone has secrets, especially our Zinfandel winemakers! In this episode, your host, Leslie Sbrocco will talk with of the big names in the World of Zinfandel who will share their grape – growing and winemaking secrets with you.
Join Leslie now for Episode Three, and let’s get smarter!
Tim Bell, winemaker at Dry Creek Vineyard, has worked with a wide range of grape varieties and wine styles in Napa Valley, Sonoma, and the Central Coast: still wine, sparkling, dessert, even Kosher. Tim’s creativity in blending and extensive experience shaping wine quality in the vineyard made him a great choice for the winemaking team at Dry Creek Vineyard starting in 2011. He graduated with honors in winemaking at UC Davis, learning the intricacies of wine chemistry and microbiology that inform his stylistic choices in creating delicious blends. With this education, and formative experiences in a previous career selling wine, Tim arrived at a balanced, complex winemaking style shaped by his precise palate and preference for wines that define their varietal character.
Early in his career, Tim worked at Freemark Abbey, helping to shape the wine style and vineyard program. Later, he became the Director of Winemaking at Kunde, gaining critical acclaim for his Sauvignon Blancs, Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons. All of this experience has prepared Tim for what he has called “his best winemaking job.”
Proprietor and Founding Vintner
Douglas P. Beckett was born January 1, 1946 in Morgantown, West Virginia. Born into a Navy family, he traveled most of his early years. He settled in San Diego where he met and married Nancy Thibodo in 1971. At the time, Doug taught multi levels of school ranging from Kindergarten to the University level and ending his teaching career as a high school counselor in 1979. Prior to leaving education, he was a full partner in a chain of convenience stores until 1981, when he and Nancy and their two sons, Josh and Jake, moved to Paso Robles.
Doug’s first job in Paso Robles was as a carpenter, and at that time he started making wine with friend, Pat Wheeler. Over the course of 18 years he also developed land, sold real estate, taught school as a resource specialist and started his own import-export company specializing in art glass from Eastern Europe. He is currently retired, but still get his hands dirty in the vineyard.
Born in Ithaca, New York, and raised in California, Brandon’s interest in wine originated with his grandparents who collected rare wines. During Brandon’s upbringing he was invited to enjoy some of these rare wines. “I was always mystified and intrigued by the traditions and stories involved with each bottle of wine,” says Brandon.
Brandon was offered the assistant winemaker position at Peachy Canyon Winery in Paso Robles, CA upon returning to the US. Here he worked with Zinfandel from some of the most sought-after vineyards on the Central Coast, producing many noteworthy and award winning wines. His success at Peachy Canyon brought him to the attention of Dan Goldfield of Dutton Goldfield winery in the Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County, where Brandon served as the assistant winemaker. During his four years at Dutton Goldfield, Brandon mastered cool climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; well-structured wines with profound flavor. His experience producing world-class Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel made Brandon the perfect winemaker for Armida Winery, where he made elegant, single-vineyard wines beginning in 2010. Currently at Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves, he is now creating the masterpiece of his life!
When not making wine you’ll often find Brandon in the tasting room conversing with friends and customers and sharing his love of wine. When he isn’t at the winery Brandon acts as the President of the Board of Directors of ZAP, Zinfandel Advocates and Producers.
A good winemaker understands terroir. A great winemaker understands how to push the envelope to fully reveal what terroir can achieve, and since 2017, Emily Haines has done just that to shape the next generation of Terra d’Oro wines.
Emily graduated with a degree in biotechnology and biochemistry at Eastern Washington University. While working in a research lab she took a part-time stint in a tasting room. Seeing everything involved in the winemaking decisions appealed to her scientific mind, and she quit her steady job to try her hand at winemaking.
She honed her skills at the Wahluke Wine Company in Washington, ultimately serving as director of winemaking for its Millbrandt Vineyards, where she earned a number of 90+ scores from top critics.
The possibility to work with Terra d’Oro’s vineyard holdings attracted Emily to Amador County, and her skills and keen palate have continued to refine Terra d’Oro’s terroir-driven wines since then.
A graduate of UC Davis with a degree in biochemistry, Neeley first worked in cancer research for a biotech firm in South San Francisco. Every vacation, he would end up in wine country. And he started to realize that winemaking was like food science and being a chef—two things he loves. Neeley decided to pursue a path in wine, and went back to Davis to earn a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology. He completed his degree in 2003, and worked his first harvest internship that year at Trefethen Vineyards.
Neeley landed his first full-time wine job working in the lab for Randall Grahm at Bonny Doon, then took an enologist position at Schug in Sonoma. Then, in 2008, he got a call from Trefethen to join up as their assistant winemaker, and as luck would have it, the winemaker changed jobs and Neeley was promoted within a couple of months to winemaker. He stayed at Trefethen until 2015, then worked two vintages for Dave Phinney at Orin Swift Cellars, and in 2016, after Orin Swift sold to Gallo, he joined Kenwood Vineyards. Neeley served as Kenwood’s winemaker until 2022 when he joined Kunde as their Senior Winemaker.
Joel Peterson is the founder and winemaker at Once and Future Wines and of Ravenswood Winery. After working with Joseph Swan, one of the masters of California Zinfandel, Joel founded Ravenswood in 1976, producing 327 cases of Old Vine Zinfandel. Ravenswood now has a world-wide reputation and is one of the largest, most successful, highly-rated, Zinfandel producers in California. Joel works with 100+ growers that provide grapes for Ravenswood annually, consulting on irrigation practices, cultivation practices, cropping levels and other vineyard management issues.
Joel’s diverse background includes Bio-medical research, wine writing, and consulting. Joel is a current member and former president of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance (S.V.V.G.A.) and is on the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Vintners. He is an advisor to the Historic Vineyard Society. He is a founding Board member and former two-time President of Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (Z.A.P.). Joel has appeared in many Zinfandel forums and is the long time moderator for “Flights,” ZAP’s Zinfandel educational lecture series. Joel has also worked as a Senior Vice President with Constellation Wines US. In 2011, Joel was inducted into the Vintner’s Hall of Fame and in 2013 he was voted as one of the “20 Most Admired People in the North American Wine Industry” by Vineyard and Winery Management Magazine. Joel’s latest project is Once & Future Wines, which focuses on making small-production hand-crafted single vineyard wines that honor the distinctive typicity of site. In 2006 Joel’s son Morgan followed his father’s lead and founded Bedrock Wine Company, which has become another highly successful California Zinfandel and Heritage wine producer.
