GUILD MEMBERS -2023

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Chris Albin was born and raised in Texas but moved to California in 2009 to pursue his enology degree at California State University-Fresno.  Since then, he’s worked at E&J Gallo Winery, Donelan Family Vineyards, Casella Wines, Azari Vineyards, Oak Ridge Winery and Alpha Omega Winery before taking the winemaker position for Usual Wines. Throughout Chris’ winemaking experience, he has worked in research roles multiple times, which has fed his passion for trying to understand the “why” behind the winemaking phenomena winemakers see and trying to better understand how different winemaking techniques can be used as tools to achieve different styles.

Kevin grew up around the wine industry, working at his family’s winery in Santa Cruz. He began helping in all sectors of the winery during summers in middle school, but majority of the time was spent working in the cellar: sanitizing tanks, topping barrels, working the bottling line and pressure washing any conceivable surface. This work experience sparked an interest in the wine industry and sent Kein down to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to pursue a degree in the Wine and Viticulture program with a concentration in Enology.  While at Cal Poly, Kevin was able to partake in a wine focused study abroad program based in South Australia. This sparked an interest in the world of wine and encouraged Kevin to return to Australia upon graduation for a vintage abroad in Margaret River and then Central Otago two years later. Kevin has been working in the Edna Valley since 2013, where he has developed a passion for cool climate varieties, especially Pinot Noir. 

As Winemaker for Pezzi King and St. Anne’s Crossing wineries, Chris has won 7 Sweepstakes awards, including the recent 2023 Chronicle with 2020 Los

Chamizal Malbec He has accumulated numerous Double Gold and Gold medals, as well as 90+ Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast ratings on multiple

varietals and vintages. Chris has always had one foot in the lab and the other in the cellar. He worked for Vinquiry learning the ins and outs of wine analysis while developing his skills in fining and winemaking products before he took the senior analyst position at Sonoma Wine Company, where he was quickly promoted to Enologist. With his strong desire to make his own wines, he took the helm at Pezzi King with the 2008 harvest, producing multiple Gold Medal winning wines from the start.

 Lisa is a consulting winemaker based in Sonoma County. She is  dedicated to crafting wines that are flavorful, enjoyable, and  reflective of their place. Her focus is helping boutique winery owners  and aspiring wine entrepreneurs create exceptional wines. Lisa  launched her consulting business, Lisa Bishop Forbes Winemaking, in  2020. She is also the President and winemaker of Bard Clan Wines,  creating unique grape and fruit wines and blends with her visionary  business partner, Craig Riordan. Her clients include SUTRO Wine Company,  Roden Wines, and MoniClaire Vineyards, all producing estate grown,  hand-crafted, Sonoma County wines. Prior to embracing the  self-employed life, Lisa held winemaking positions at Chalk Hill Estate  and Dry Creek Vineyard, and managed production and operations for Ektimo  Vineyards and Ross Road Custom Crush. Lisa holds a Bachelor of  Science degree in Enology from California State University, Fresno, and  Certificates in Wine Business Management and Wine Entrepreneurship from  Sonoma State University. She lives in Windsor with her family. 

Molly Bohlman is a native Midwesterner, having been born in Minnesota and mostly growing up in Wisconsin. She started her higher education at the University of Minnesota but a study-abroad experience in the South of France in her junior year further stimulated her interest in wine. 

Her six-month sojourn in France planted a “bug” that led Molly to working at the University-run research vineyard and winery, where she quickly learned that growing grapes and making wine is not romantic. Nonetheless, the associated hard work appealed to her and prompted her to transfer to California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 1996. There, she earned degrees in Viticulture Management and Fruit Science while working in vineyards, wineries and a grapevine nursery in order to gain practical experience.

After graduation, Molly turned her attention more to the winemaking side of the industry, working her way up at various wineries from cellar “rat” to Enologist to Assistant Winemaker and then to Winemaker. Among the locations where she worked either as a viticulturist or winemaker are Sonoma Grapevines, Saralee’s Vineyard, J. Fritz Winery, Vina Robles Winery, and Paul Hobbs Wines, where she was winemaker for the Crossbarn brand.

In 2014, Molly joined Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles as associate winemaker, becoming the winemaker there in 2017, focusing on producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. 

 Focused on innovation, Casey Di Cesare has been a part of the Scheid Family Wines team since 2017 after receiving his Masters in Enology from Cornell University. Brands such as Metz Road and Sunny with a Chance of Flowers showcase Casey’s “thinking beyond the box” capabilities. Using in-vineyard native yeast fermentation, Casey creates the ultimate expression of terroir with Metz Road. His ingenuity to create a low-alcohol, zero-sugar, low-calorie wine with fully ripened grapes and a proprietary process catapulted Sunny with a Chance of Flowers to be named a 2020 Hot Brand by Wine Business Monthly. Recently named a leader in the wine industry by WBM, Casey is positioned for success at Scheid Family Wines. 

 Kristina Filippi Is a lifelong resident of Southern California. She spent much of her childhood in Rancho Cucamonga when the area had luscious wine producing vineyards. She attended Cal Poly Pomona and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science. Soon after graduating, she began working in a wine tasting room and quickly discovered her passion for the wine industry. Simultaneous with her work for the tasting room, Kristina attended the culinary arts programs at Le Cordon Bleu. These two avenues quickly lead her to a passion in food and wine pairings, as well as the wine making process. She began to turn this passion into a career when she was given the opportunity to learn the wine making process from the ground up. She served as a wine maker at the Joseph Filippi Winery for 10 years. During those years, she specialized in producing dry reds, rosés, ports, and sherry wines. After completing her 10 years in the Cucamonga Valley, Kristina relocated to the Temecula Valley to gain more knowledge in viticulture. We are extremely excited to have her as a part of our team and we know she will create some amazing wines for our winery. 

EARLY CAREER:  Started working for Fosters Wine Estates at their Chateau St. Jean property in Kenwood, CA. Started in the cellar and white wine facility.  Went to work for the Raventos family of Codorniu fame in their sparkling facility in Napa, CA. Called Codorniu and then changed named to Artesa when we added still wines. Worked as Assistant then lead Oenologist in the lab and cellar.  Started working for SUMMERS WINERY in Calistoga, CA as general cellar – one of three people for a 5000 case facility.  MID CAREER:  Became the Assistant Winemaker for Russian River Vineyards and worked as their research enologist / trouble shooter.  Winemaker for Dan Fetzer and Jon Fetzer Frantelli Winery and Jeriko Estate Vineyards – through winemaking and vineyard sourcing.  Winemaker for Fantesca Estate Winery – started the winery with owners Susan and Duane Hoff. Created a high end custom crush facility in Napa County, CA. Made client wines for some of the most exclusive wine houses in Napa County.  Two years working in Portugal for co-op port vineyards and wineries. Traditional Port processes and winemaking.  Started Leahy Castle Winery – primarily a bulk and custom wine shop for private labels from California and Oregon sourced and appilated fruit. Consulting on winery process build as well as label start up.  CONSULTANT WINEMAKER: For Terrior Napa Valley – client portfolio, Rock and Roll Wine, Ellis Wines, Inspiration Vineyards, The Ranch Winery.  CAREER PRESENT:  Winemaker Becker Vineyards Fredericksburg, TX – Estate and Vineyard contract wines from Texas. Oversee all aspects of production and vineyard management. Currently a 110,000 case facility in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Margaret Leonardi is a native of Northern California and has spent her life surrounded by wine and viticulture. She grew up on an organic dairy farm, where large family meals, at-home gatherings, and leisurely dinners accompanied by wine were the rule, not the exception. Her passion for wine, coupled with being surrounded by inspiring women–namely her mother, a teacher, and her grandmother, an incredible cook–foreshadowed her pursuing the challenging career of winemaking.

After graduating from high school, Margaret entered California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2005, majoring in Agriculture Business and being an active member of the Vines to Wines Club there. Her first hands-on experience in the wine industry was a summer internship with Bronco Wine Company in 2006. She returned to Bronco after graduating in 2009, serving as assistant winemaker there until mid-2015. Margaret was also the winemaker for Cottonwood Creek Winery in Madera for two years, starting there in mid-2013.

Margaret moved to Fetzer Vineyards in Hopland after leaving Bronco and also crafted wines for Little Black Dress Wines, now one of Fetzer’s labels. Her goal there was “. . . to make wines that are approachable, affordable, and delicious.” In recent years, she has overseen production of Fetzer’s acclaimed white wines, and was promoted to the position of winemaker in 2021, the first woman to hold this position in Fetzer’s history. Margaret now has responsibility for the entire Fetzer brand collection. A measure of her talents is found in being named as one of the North Bay Business Journal’s 2021 Forty Under 40 Awards winners.

Her philosophy of winemaking is embodied in her own words, “Much like the principles of sustainability, I take a forward-thinking approach to every winemaking decision. I thrive on planning and predictive environments.” She adds, “It feels good to know we are creating delicious wines that people love, while helping to build a more sustainable future.”

 When it comes to crafting wine, Cara brings an uncommon wealth of knowledge and passion to Sonoma-Cutrer. Even as a young adult, Cara knew exactly what she wanted to do. A native of San Jose, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Fermentation Science from the University of California at Davis.

After college Cara spent a year traveling the other winemaking regions of the world, working at wineries in Australia, Chile and New York while also studying the craft in New Zealand, Eastern Europe, Italy, Germany and France (in Burgundy, the Rhone, Bordeaux, Champagne and the Loire region).

Out of money but full of energy, Cara joined the Jekel Vineyard winemaking team in 1998. In 2000, she was selected as the Winemaker/White Wines at Fetzer Vineyards. In that time, she particularly enjoyed working with a variety of grapes including Gewürztraminer, Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Viognier and, of course, Chardonnay.

Cara joined Sonoma-Cutrer in 2005 and immersed herself in crafting Chardonnay in the classic, Burgundian style. She considers Chardonnay a special grape that allows the winemaker more versatility than any other; Sonoma-Cutrer’s intense focus on Chardonnay is what attracted her to the brand. Today, Cara loves that her role allows her to experiment with barrel maturation and the blending process of both of Sonoma-Cutrer’s Burgundian grape varietals – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

My name is Jake Pauli and I love making wine. And drinking wine. I am passionate about crafting a wine that you can actually drink. I don't want wine to be pretentious and difficult. You shouldn't be done after just one sip. I want you to be able to drink and enjoy it!

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I am a fifth generation farmer in Mendocino county. Our family raised cattle, grew clover, pears and now wine grapes. My parents and four siblings work in the vineyards; I work in the winery. We mostly make wine for other people, but these wines are all so good; I couldn't give them all up. 

Greg Pennyroyal is the Vineyard Manager at Wilson Creek Winery and Vineyards and Professor of Viticulture at Mt. San Jacinto College in Temecula, California. He has 25 years of experience in a wide range of fields, including agricultural production, medicinal plant production, and genomics in traditional medicine. He is interested in bringing the benefits of traditional food, medicine and agriculture to modern society. An expert in viticulture and regenerative agriculture, Greg can be found in the classroom and online teaching the differences between sustainable, organic, biodynamic & regenerative agriculture. 

Michelle Shafrir, Assistant Winemaker, has been at Miner Family Winery since 2017. With meticulous attention to detail, she and the team work hard to craft terroir-driven wines from fruit sourced from some of the best family-owned vineyards in Napa Valley and throughout California.  Michelle is a California native, having grown up in the Bay Area. She holds degrees in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and Environmental Studies from Tel Aviv University. Michelle has had the fortune to work at a number of well-known wineries, including stints as the Enologist at Hall Wines as well as V. Sattui and Castello di Amorosa.  Just a few weeks into her first harvest internship at Cuvaison Estate Wines, Michelle knew she’d found her calling –  “I was drawn to wine because I love nature, science, and art, and wine is all of those things. Winemaking follows the rhythm of the seasons and requires a harmony of geography, climate, soil, plant physiology, microbiology, chemistry, and the people who make it.”

Leslie brings many years of experience in the wine industry after working for wide variety of companies ranging from small boutique wineries to large fast paced wineries.  Since 2005, Leslie has been a Consulting Winemaker for various premium boutique wineries emphasizing quality fruit from small upcoming estate vineyards. Working closely with the wine growers and vineyard managers allows her to gain a thorough understanding of the terroir and the potential of each site. By capturing the essence of each vineyard she is able to put her signature winemaking style into every bottle. Leslie received her BS in Viticulture from UC Davis and spent two years prior to Davis at UC San Diego. She is a native of Southern California and currently resides in Sebastopol with her husband. 

Wynne Solomon grew up in Sonoma County, in the town of Windsor, and fell in love with the wine culture there. Being raised by a teacher and counselor, her pursuit of winemaking was her own path, stemming from a passion for chemistry and cooking. She moved down to the Central Coast to study Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 2010. She began making wine with Stephen Ross Winery in the Edna Valley and moved down to the Sta. Rita Hills to continue pursuing cool climate winemaking with Melville Winery. She joined the Peake Ranch team in 2018. She worked with Paul Lato in blending the 2017 vintage and made the 2018 vintage hand in hand with him. She inaugurated our new winery and tasting room with the 2019 harvest. Her vision for Peake Ranch is to focus on the unique attributes of this area while emphasizing balance in Californian wines.  Wynne Solomon grew up in Sonoma County, in the town of Windsor, and fell in love with the wine culture there. Being raised by a teacher and counselor, her pursuit of winemaking was her own path, stemming from a passion for chemistry and cooking. She moved down to the Central Coast to study Wine and Viticulture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in 2010. She began making wine with Stephen Ross Winery in the Edna Valley and moved down to the Sta. Rita Hills to continue pursuing cool climate winemaking with Melville Winery. She joined the Peake Ranch team in 2018. She worked with Paul Lato in blending the 2017 vintage and made the 2018 vintage hand in hand with him. She inaugurated our new winery and tasting room with the 2019 harvest. Her vision for Peake Ranch is to focus on the unique attributes of this area while emphasizing balance in Californian wines. 

Matt Taylor's interest in wine was piqued during a two year stint in Europe and Africa where he learned the wonders of sherry, biodynamic farming and Burgundy. Upon returning to the United States, he worked as an assistant winemaker to Rod Bergland at Joseph Swan Vineyards. He them graduated from Fresno State and obtained a post-graduate degree in viticulture and enology. A sales job and harvest internship with the Seyesses family of Domaine Dujac led him to eventually land a job as winemaker with Araujo Estate in Napa Valley as well as harvest internships in Argentina and New Zealand.

In 2011, Taylor left Araujo to start Taylor Cellars with seed money from Bart Araujo. He is devoted to organic and biodynamic farming.

A native of the Lodi wine country, who grew up in her family's Italian restaurant, Taylor is a graduate of Cal Poly's Wine & Viticulture program. Following an MBA program rejection, a harvest internship, and a short stint in the tasting room, Samantha has been a part of Hope Family Wines since 2010. Having grown to become an integral part of the winemaking team, Samantha oversees all daily winemaking and leads a dynamic team in producing award winning wines that set the standard for luxury Paso Robles Cabernet. When not at the winery, she is often deep in home renovation projects with her husband, traveling the world to experience acclaimed restaurants, or touring historical homes.

 After a decade in the wine industry and winemaking experience in 3 countries, I came back home to Sonoma, California in 2016 to build a series of premium wine related businesses on my own. With the knowledge and experience I have acquired while working with amazing Winemakers and Viticulturists around the world, I am able to offer many services including but not limited to: Winemaking, Consulting Winemaking, Viticultural Consulting, Brand Development, and Property Development. 

 My passion for wine has evolved into a career pursuing the art and science of winemaking. My strong understanding of oenology and winery management has allowed me to produce industry relevant research while progressing from Cellar Lead at Hall Wines to Consultant Winemaker at Amares Wines. The challenges of these experiences are clear; the current battle for winemakers is integrating modern technology while aspiring to create desirable wine styles. Henceforth, my professional goal is to work within a dynamic multifaceted team thats integrates novel technologyand market research in order to deliver world class wines. My passion for wine has evolved into a career pursuing the art and science of winemaking. My strong understanding of oenology and winery management has allowed me to produce industry relevant research while progressing from Cellar Lead at Hall Wines to Consultant Winemaker at Amares Wines. The challenges of these experiences are clear; the current battle for winemakers is integrating modern technology while aspiring to create desirable wine styles. Henceforth, my professional goal is to work within a dynamic multifaceted team thats integrates novel technologyand market research in order to deliver world class wines.  

Natalie has 14 years of experience working at California wineries in both viticulture and winemaking: Windsor Oaks, Mill Creek Winery, Westwood, and Salvestrin. At small estate wineries in Napa and Sonoma, Natalie has farmed vineyards in St. Helena, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Sonoma Valley.

On the winemaking side, she has worked international vintages in Bordeaux, Spain, and Australia. She has also been privileged to learn from renowned winemakers David Ramey and Aaron Pott.     

Natalie has an ongoing apprenticeship with international vineyard consultant Philippe Coderey since 2012. www.biodynamicvineyardconsulting.com 

Currently Natalie is the viticulturist and winemaker for Salvestrin Winery in St. Helena, Napa Valley. She is very keen on precision farming as the key to premium winemaking. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Political Science, a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Enology, and a PCA license. 

 Winemaker Niki Williams brings more than a decade of experience from some of Napa Valley’s most well-known wine estates including: Mount Veeder Winery, The Prisoner Wine Company, Franciscan Estate, Merryvale Family of Wines, and Chateau St. Jean. During these tenures, Williams gained extensive winemaking experience with a wide range of red and white varieties and explored the latest cellar and vineyard technologies to elevate fruit and wine to their highest quality. Her philosophy and practice of crafting balanced, elegant blends that are approachable when young, yet capable of aging gracefully make her a perfect complement to and continuation of Cakebread Cellar’s 50-year standard and history of winemaking.