Henry David Vineyards

Henry David Vineyards is a tribute to our two fathers because both men were farmers. We used their middle names for our efforts. They respected the land that provided a living for them and their families. Bill’s grandparents, for example, lived on and worked 120 acres (and so did Bill!), farming orchards apples, pears, peaches, and cherries, as well as a vineyard of concord grapes. Sherilyn’s grandparents farmed various crops in northeast Texas. It’s a heritage we respect, and we’re proud to honor them this way. 

We know the strenuous work that comes with tending fields. Despite the efforts, the quality of life was special. Our memories are filled with warm experiences. And we are thrilled to be back in such a place.

Henry David Vineyards is our third, or if you count raising our family, fourth career. We grew two businesses while we saw five children grow up—and who since have grown our eight grandchildren!

We recently sold Encore Vision, Inc., our startup ocular pharmaceutical company, to Novartis after completing a successful early phase clinical study that demonstrated a successful outcome for an exciting new treatment. We weren’t ready to completely retire, but we were ready for a change of pace.

For years we dreamed of owning a vineyard in Sonoma County, one of the world’s most spectacular grape growing regions. With decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, we saw similarities with the wine industry’s high-quality standards and highly regulated products.. So we bought Barbed Oak Vineyard, and are making it our own.

We believe Henry David Vineyards provides more than a terrific place to grow some of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. It’s a great farm for our children and grandchildren to visit, enjoy, and create memories together for years to come. And we look forward to producing Henry David Vineyards wines, continuing the track record of excellent, award winning wines from our estate grown 2018 harvest.

Henry David Vineyards is set deep in the Bennett Valley Appellation on 18 acres in Sonoma County, one of the world’s foremost wine regions. Nestled on a gently rolling slope of Sonoma Mountain about 800 feet above sea level, we look west to Santa Rosa and the coast, and we’re just over the hill from Sonoma. Our setting provides one of the most perfect microclimates for the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Aligote grapes we grow—gentle warmth from the sun gives way to cool night breezes from the Pacific Ocean.

But it’s more than the climate. The soil is important, too.

Country roads along Bennett Valley are lined with antique fences—walls built more than a century ago with stones pulled from the valley’s volcanic soil. Our vines’ deep roots fight through that soil, which further imbues the grapes’ juices with a wonderful richness.

The microclimate. The soil. The Sonoma Mountain setting. Combined, these conditions create the terroir—the environment in which our grapes grow, ultimately providing our wines with a character people savor and that make the wines premium quality.

Three mountains—Sonoma Mountain, Taylor Mountain and Bennett Mountain—form Bennett Valley. As an appellation, it’s known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Almost all of the growers in this valley are smaller—with vineyards of 20 acres or less. Like us, most bottle high-quality boutique or artisan wines.

The climate and terrain appeals to more than winemakers. Wildlife is abundant here, too—deer, wild turkeys, raptors, mountain lions, and plenty of smaller creatures. They roam freely through the area, including our vineyard. When we see them, we readily pause to drink in all of nature’s generosity, and we’re filled with gratitude to be part of this land.

Taste wines labeled with Bennett Valley as the appellation and you will gain an appreciation for the very essence of the quality of life here.

In June, 2017, we purchased Barbed Oak Vineyard, realizing our dream to literally and figuratively return to our roots as we created a place to reflect on the bounty life provided us—and to create a place for our family and friends to spend time together.

The vineyard, which was planted in the late 1990s, was originally farmed to produce volumes of grapes that large wineries used to blend with their own. In the mid-2000s, the previous owners changed direction. They chose to employ the highest standard farming practices to achieve top-quality yields.

First, they grafted Pinot Noir clones onto existing root stock, adding power and structure to wines that the fruit produced. But improving the root stock wasn’t enough.

They began irrigating the vines sparingly, making them work harder, which produced even better fruit. They carefully managed the canopy—pulling leaves as needed to expose the fruit properly to the sun. They also dropped fruit—culling bunches of grapes, which reduced the yield, and further strengthened the quality of the grapes left on the vine.

It was—and is—labor intensive. But it resulted in phenomenal, luscious juice.

Which led to the thought: with juice that good, let’s keep some to make wines for family and friends! And that gave way to award-winning Barbed Oak Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

We retained the Barbed Oak Vineyard brand, and still offer the wines for purchase to wine club members and retail accounts. We also rechristened the vineyards with the name Henry David Vineyards, leaving open the possibility of acquiring other vineyards and expanding our offerings.

But one thing hasn’t changed… We continue employing premium farming practices to produce premium wines.