Prodigal Wines

Prodigal Wines
Post Office Box 957
Los Olivos,, California
USA California 93441-0957
Phone: (805) 686-0476
http://www.prodigalwines.com/

Contact: Stephen Russell
Email: [email protected]

The name “Prodigal” stems from the career paths that Stephen Russell has taken. As an early (1960) graduate of the UC Davis enology program, but not a member of a wine family, he was the first formally trained enologist to be hired by the Gallo's. After discovering that corporate winemaking didn’t offer the future he had envisioned, and after attempting unsuccessfully to raise the money to purchase Freemark Abbey, with a twenty-something’s wisdom he decided to leave the industry. Consternation at the time among those at UCD who had trained him (e.g., Professors M.A. Amerine and H.P. Olmo) was abundantly evident. After returning to school (DVM and PhD) and an academic career in cancer research, he and his wife, Mary, returned to California to found Quinta Santa Rosa Vineyard / Prodigal Wines in 2001. The ‘prodigal son’ had returned!

All of the grapes for Prodigal wines come from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. This relatively small area is distinguished by its unique climate and soils. A typical day in Sta. Rita Hills starts with marine layer clouds and fog, which typically burn off by 10am. Two or three hours of calm sunshine then prevail until the on-shore wind picks up, once again cooling the vines. This maritime influence, combined with the sedimentary soils with patches of limestone is the perfect place to grow the appellation's hallmark Pinot Noir.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/prodigalwines

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