It seems like yesterday when I started growing wine grapes in 1968. As the California fine wine business evolved during the ensuing years, so did my knowledge and passion as a winegrower. My dream was to produce fruit from which great wine could be made. My grape growing journey has taken me from Lodi, to the Napa Valley, Knight`s Valley, and Dry Creek. Eventually I found the perfect vineyard, near the village of Forestville in the Sonoma Coast appelation.
From the first time I visited this small Chardonnay vineyard, I noticed the presence of a distinctive aroma. The air was sweet with a subtle blend of lemon zest and honeysuckle. I named it Walker Station in memory of the small town in Kentucky where my family is from. In 1997 I began to sell the fruit to winemaker Paul Hobbs who made a Chardonnay under his own label with the vineyard designation of Walker Station. With each successive vintage I found the vineyard`s unique aroma captured in the bottle.
In 2000 I asked Paul to work with me to create my own label , "Walker Station Vineyards". Utilizing a natural approach to the winemaking, my goal is to capture the essence of the vineyard in the wine.
