Winemaker
Don Van Staaveren
Don Van Staaveren believes that the best wines, the wines that are most distinctive, are those that have been gently nudged along by the winemaker rather than highly manipulated. He should know having made some of California's most critically acclaimed wines, including the Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year in 1999, the 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages.
Don's career in wine began early when as a youngster on his family's dairy farm he grew weary of milking cows and went to work in his neighbor's vineyards. After graduating from Cal Poly with a degree in fruit science, Don worked as a vineyard manager and viticulturalist at several prestigious wineries in Sonoma County. He became curious about what happened to the grapes after they were harvested and started working in the cellar quickly becoming head winemaker. Don has over 20 years of experience as a winemaker and continually delivers beautiful, richly flavored wines as in Picket Fence Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Don sees his role as a winemaker as "custodial" not manipulative.
"You don't want to disturb the grapes a lot," says Don. "There are gentle things you can do to guide them in their development, but you've got to have a light touch. It's not unlike raising a child."
