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Behind the Wine Naked Truth

The Winemakers Behind the World’s Most Famous Wines

You may not know ANY of our wines, and that’s a good thing.

Our customers support independent winemakers and get exclusive access to their very limited, small lot wines. So these will never appear on a grocery store shelf… they’re unique to us.

But you’ve definitely run into our winemakers…

The crazy thing is that these talented little guys are the hard-working winemakers behind some of the world’s most famous wines.

So you can skim the lists below and see if you recognize any of the wine brands our winemakers have been involved with.

The $75+ club:

Wine brand

Winemaker

Role

Merus

Camille Benitah

former winemaker

Penfolds Grange

Daryl Groom

former senior winemaker 1984-1989

Ruinart

Jean Philippe Moulin

former winemaker (2002-2007)

Mumm Perrier-Jouet

Jean Philippe Moulin

former director of production (1991-1995)

Tignanello

Stefano di Blasi

consultant winemaker

Joseph Phelps

Ken Deis

consultant winemaker

Stags’ Leap

Matt Parish

oversaw brand as Treasury’s chief winemaker for Americas

Antinori – Solaia

Stefano di Blasi

consultant winemaker

Flora Springs

Ken Deis

winemaker

Chateau Teyssier

Jonathan Maltus

personal project

Cliff Lede Vineyards

Jac Cole

former winemaker

Domus Aurea

Jean Pascal Lacaze

winemaker

Beringer

Matt Parish

oversaw brand as Treasury’s chief winemaker for Americas

Heitz

Ken Deis

consultant winemaker

Etude

Matt Parish

Oversaw brand as Treasury’s chief winemaker for Americas

World’s End

Jonathan Maltus

personal project

news clipping from wine spectator about daryl groom former penfolds grange winemaker
Wine Spectator clipping about Daryl Groom, former Penfolds Grange winemaker

The Well-Known Names:

Don Sebastiani & Sons

Rob McNeil

Director of Winemaking

Mumm Napa

Rob McNeil

V.P. Winemaking and Operations

Geyser Peak

Ondine Chattan

Head Winemaker

Cline Cellars

Ondine Chattan

Former cellar worker

Ridge Vineyards

Ondine Chattan

Former assistant winemaker

Domaine Chandon

Wayne Donaldson

former winemaker

Estancia

Scott Kelley

personal project

Robert Mondavi Private Selection

Scott Kelley

personal project

Artesa

Ana Diogo-Draper

winemaker

Charles Krug Winery

Jac Cole

former winemaker

Covey Run

Katy Michaud

former winemaker

Lange Twins

David Akiyoshi

winemaker

Woodbridge

David Akiyoshi

former winemaker

Treasury

Matt Parish

Chief Winemaker for the Americas

Jackson Estate

Mike Paterson

former winemaker

Craggy Range

Rod Easthope

former winemaker

Geyser Peak

Daryl Groom

former winemaker

Champagnes Paul Goerg

Jean Philippe Moulin

winemaker

Chateau St Jean

Matt Parish

oversaw brand as Treasury’s chief winemaker for Americas

Kendall Jackson

Scott Peterson

former assistant winemaker

The complete list:

Amani

Carmen Stevens

winemaker

Barden Stevenot

Stephen Millier

winemaker

Bodega Lorca

Mauricio Lorca

personal project

Bonny Doon

Katy Michaud

former cellar worker

Boulevard Napoleon

Benjamin Darnault

personal project

Bravium

Derek Rohlffs

personal project

Brick + Mortar

Matt Iaconis

personal project

Canoe Ridge

Katy Michaud

former assistant winemaker

Chateau Maris

Benjamin Darnault

winemaker

Colby Red

Daryl Groom

personal project

David Bruce Winery

Katy Michaud

former assistant enologist

Easthope Winegrowers

Rod Easthope

personal project

Eonian Wines

Wayne Donaldson

personal project

Fortunatus

Derek Rohlffs

personal project

Girard

Jacqueline Bahue

assistant winemaker

Ironstone

Stephen Millier

winemaker

Kim Crawford Wine

Katy Michaud

former cellar hand

Mark Anthony

Katy Michaud

former winemaker

Marschall Groom Cellars

Daryl Groom

family winery

Milliaire

Stephen Millier

personal project

Paul O’Brien

Scott Kelley

personal project

Pfeiffer Wines

Jen Pfeiffer

family winery

Plunkett Fowles

Sam Plunkett

former winemaker

Pommery Lanson

Jean Philippe Moulin

former technical director (1985-1991)

Rainier Wine

Katy Michaud

winemaker

Rumpus

Scott Peterson

personal project

Rustenberg Wines

Rod Easthope

former winemaker

Rutherford Hill Winery

Ana Diogo-Draper

former assistant winemaker

SP Drummer

Scott Peterson

personal project

Spring Mountain Vineyard

Jac Cole

former winemaker

Vina Pargua

Jean Pascal Lacaze

winemaker

Wines by Sam

Sam Plunkett

personal project

Breathless Wines

Penelope Gadd-Coster

Winemaker

It’s like an IMDB for wine!

IMDB is an amazing website for when you’re trying to remember an actor’s name or the character they played in a particular movie. And it’s also a great way to discover movies. After all, if you love one Mel Brooks movie, you’re probably going to love them all!

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could do that with wine? Walk into a store and it tells you that the wine was made by your favorite winemaker. Or if you spend too much money on a wine and think it’s sort of meh, you could avoid all the wines made by that consultant winemaker!

Am I the only one who would find that useful?

Well, I can’t make an app, but here’s a start… a full index the non-Angel funded wines made by Angel-funded winemakers. If you spot one missing, let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

If you’ve never tried our wines and you’re curious, use this list to find a winemaker you may already be a fan of. And you can support that winemaker directly and enjoy a bottle of wine that they made thanks to the support of wine drinkers like you!

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Kent Reynolds
7 years ago

Great post! I’m sure many Angels and Archangels would be interested in these lists. Are you planning to share the link in the NW groups?

Naked Ryan
7 years ago
Reply to  Kent Reynolds

Feel free to post to groups if it comes up or would be helpful!

jurhee
jurhee
7 years ago

Very interesting, Ryan. Maybe some wine “snobs” will recognize some names and pay attention.

James Pappa
James Pappa
7 years ago

This is useful information Ryan. Please add Scott Kelly to the list. Cheers!

Naked Ryan
7 years ago
Reply to  James Pappa

Done! 🙂

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[…] wines even more, then you should get to know the winemakers behind the wine. Not only are they the winemakers behind the world’s most famous wines… they’re also really fun people with a contagious level of […]

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