Vine Hill Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2009

There is something really satisfying about seeing a long-held dream unfolding before your eyes. Such is the circumstance in which Nick Guerrero, Managing Partner of Vine Hill Winery finds himself. Nick and his team have embarked on a journey that continues a long tradition of winemaking in the historic Vine Hill Wine District. Established in 1867 by George and John Jarvis the wine district housed the Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Company of which John Jarvis was the president until his death in 1892. Jarvis also founded Union Vineyard in 1877. It is this historic site that is today's Vine Hill Winery.

Nick sees himself as the team's "coach." He lets each individual create their own template for success and is always there to lend a guiding hand as needed. "Putting other's first" was not always Nick's mantra, but as he has evolved, so has his opinion on managing people. He believes that the winery environment engenders an individual's reach for excellence and the ability to collaborate for the common good. Nick understands that this opportunity cannot always be seized in larger, corporate environments, or on the manufacturing room floor. That is why he feels extremely lucky to be surrounded by such outstanding individuals in an environment where their greatest success is celebrating great winemaking and all the efforts that support this goal.