Jeff has always been attuned to the environment, just not always from the perspective of wines. Born in Ohio and raised in southern California, Jeff headed north to
Sonoma State University to earn a degree in Environmental Studies at a time when it was an emerging field rife with opportunity. But Jeff was in Sonoma, and the lure of the
vine is great—especially if you’re an environmental planner eager to dig deeper into the local ecology. Jeff began his transition to winemaking, seeking out small local wineries that crafted fine wines with an eye towards being good stewards to the environment. He got started as an apprentice in the cellar of Mill Creek Winery in Healdsburg, moving quickly to Cellar Master at Matanzas Creek Winery in Bennett Valley.
Jeff deepened his skills at Cakebread Cellars in Napa Valley and B.R. Cohn in Sonoma Valley before taking on winemaking duties at Mendocino’s Jeriko Estate Winery in Hopland, not far from Bonterra Organic Estate’s renowned Biodynamic® McNab Ranch. In ultimately joining Bonterra in 2007, Jeff brought full-circle his early interest in environmental studies and his career in winemaking, given the winery’s focus on regenerative organic winegrowing practices and environmental stewardship. “It’s exciting to craft wines that are delicious, while knowing that the way we’re making them is something I can feel good about,” says Jeff. “I look forward to coming to work each day to continue our focus on quality and the ongoing pursuit of putting great wines into the bottle that are also good for the earth.”
