Boekenoogen Vineyard and Winery

Open: Year Round

History:

Boekenoogen Vineyards and Winery may be new to the wine world but their family roots run deep! Boekenoogen Vineyard and Winery is located in the heart of the Santa Lucia Highlands.

Established in 1998, John Boekenoogen transformed his family's fifth generation cattle ranch into a vineyard producing outstanding grapes and now very fine wine. John's Great Grandfather, George Boekenoogen, came across the United States in covered wagons in search of gold in the late 1850's. When gold mining did not pan out as planned George Boekenoogen decided to come to the Salinas Valley, purchase property, and start The Boekenoogen Cattle Ranch.

As we all know too well, times change and John Boekenoogen saw the property's potential of producing high quality wine grapes, he began turning the ground over in the 1990's just as his Great Grandfather did in the 1870's but instead of raising hay to winter cattle, John is growing grapes which consist of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, now in an area that is known as one of the finest wine regions in California for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes and also becoming known for it's cool climate Syrahs, the Santa Lucia Highlands.

After a few years of tremendously increasing demand for Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes the Boekenoogen Family decided to take their business one step further with the construction of their boutique winery. The wines produced at Boekenoogen Winery are one of the few wines that are completely estate grown and bottled on the property in the Santa Lucia Highlands. On almost any given day you can find the family partners, John, Susan, Garrett, Holly, and Kate hard at work in their Vineyards, Winery, Tasting Rooms or on their Commercial Black Angus Cattle Ranch in upper Carmel Valley.

Family means a lot to the Boekenoogens and is represented on every bottle with the emblem of their family crest which dates back to the 1200's.