People
We are four friends from California & Argentina who first met at “The Farm” 35+ years ago. Back then, Santiago and Mercedes made their first pilgrimage to Napa with Jim and Azmina to stay at a bed and breakfast and do some wine tasting. Lo and behold, the next morning, there was no Santiago to be found and searching and waiting for an hour, he emerges from the green foliage of the vines! Yes! He was smitten! He had the bug! He had no enology training, had no clue what it entailed, but he knew that this was it for him - we can still hear his words, "Someday I am going to make wine!"
Thereafter, Santiago and Mercedes returned to their corporate world in Argentina, Jim and Az to theirs in San Diego. Our friendship flourished and we managed trips back and forth and our families grew – seven kids between us......
Santiago and Mercedes then proceeded to make a bold move - sink whatever they had into making old-vine Malbec in Mendoza. The rest speaks for itself - today Santiago Achaval is a renowned winemaker, famous for his winemaking and his introduction of “cult” Malbec from the quiet region of Mendoza. He continues to extend his wine work and knowledge in Italy, Spain and Chile!
So when Jim and Az became empty nesters, they returned to their wedding night B&B near Paso Robles, California, from the early 1980’s. It was where Jim had said, "This is God's country" and revisiting this area once again, the brainchild was born - a call to Santiago and Mercedes, screams of absolute joy and adventure about making the best possible wine here in Paso Robles and the deal was sealed.
Here we are, fifteen seasons in and loving every single moment! Working together, we four, our families and their friends and our friends, the long harvest hours, the camaraderie, the shared work, the laughter, the work picnics in the truck, the wetness of the winery, the heat of the vineyards....... we feel blessed!