Vigneron

Noun. vi·​gne·​ron. Def: A person who cultivates grapes for winemaking and produces wines from the harvest.

A medieval manuscript illustration of a person reading a book, surrounded by ornate decorative borders with intricate patterns and gold accents.

Since 2006, some colleagues from the Cal Poly Philosophy Department and I started making wines from grapes sourced across San Luis Obispo county; our label was Painted Ceiling, named after an unfortunate accident with a particularly effervescent first vintage. Over the years, we experimented with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tempranillo, Grenache, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petite Verdot, and Petite Syrah. As my research into the Spirituality of Wine and Winemaking evolved, I helped make wine in McLaren Vale in Australia and interviewed extraordinary winemakers around the world. In the Spring of 2015, we planted the Lavra Vineyard, over 600 vines of cool-climate Syrah and Grenache. Together with Amy Hart, our first organic Lavra wine was released in 2019, and was followed by a series of Lavra wines made from friends’ vineyards across the county.

Wine bottle label for Painted Ceiling Cabernet Sauvignon, Meeker Vineyard, Paso Robles, 2007, with a red background and abstract green and black artwork.

Painted Ceiling

From 2006-2016, the winemaking crew from the Philosophy Department produced wines fr

Two dark glass wine bottles with black labels and text, placed on a colorful, patterned cloth with leaves and floral motifs.

Lavra Estate Wines

Comprised of Syrah and Grenache from our vineyard in Corbett Canyon, these wines tend to be light, acidic wines that express the cool climate and fossilized soils of the site.

Image of wine label for Lavra Wines, a 2021 Pinot Noir from Foothills Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, California. The label features a colorful painting of a tree with a wooden deck, potted plants, and colorful banners hanging from the tree branches. The text on the label indicates that the wine has an alcohol content of 14.5%.

Lavra Wines

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