Our Story
My husband Simon and I bought 10 acres in Creston CA in 1999 while still college students studying viticulture and enology at Fresno State. The idea was to eventually plant a small vineyard that would provide fruit for our winemaking endeavors. We planted the 8-acre vineyard in January 2002. When I say we planted the vineyard I really mean we planted the vineyard…Simon and I and my parents Bob and Karen put up the deer fence, drove the line stakes, installed the wires, irrigation system and planted the plants. We were on a budget, and the fact that I was pregnant with our first daughter made the deadline a little more looming. On one particularly long day of laboring in the vineyard installing drip hose and emitters I remember thinking, “I have got to be the only woman in the United States that is crazy enough to be 5 months pregnant and installing drip irrigation in a vineyard.” It was a labor of love, but the end result is fantastic.
We named our vineyard “The Ohana Vineyard”. I spent most of my growing-up years in Hawaii, and Ohana is the Hawaiian word for family. Our vineyard has truly been a family project. My parents are still involved in the day to day farming and winemaking practices.
At first we sold all of the fruit from our vineyard, but now we only sell about half of the Tempranillo to Cris and Joann Cherry of Villa Creek Cellars and we keep the rest of the fruit for our own brand.
In 2002 we made our first wines with purchased fruit and Graves Winegrowers was born. We currently produce about 1000 cases a year divided among four wines: Monkey Wrench, Rock Candy, The Trim Stinger, and Cosmic Scout. We do make some other wines if something really special comes along. For example, we made a 100% Mourvedre from the Ohana Vineyard in 05 which sold out in just a few weeks. We also tend to make a varietal Syrah because the grape grows perfectly at Ohana, and we love the wine.
We are lucky enough to make our wines at Denner Vineyards on Vineyard Drive in Paso Robles. Simon and I went to school with Brian Denner at Fresno State. Brian’s parents bought the property in Paso Robles while we were in school and Brian took off to work a few vintages in Chile when he graduated. When the winery was ready for grapes we asked if we could make our wines there. Brian and his parents, Ron and Marilyn, generously said yes and now we have a bonded space there. They are a great family and we love the fun atmosphere and fantastic facility.