Larry Brooks
Winemaker
Tolosa Winery, San Luis Obispo, California

Larry began his winemaking career in 1979 at Acacia in the Napa Valley, then, in the mid 90's became an executive for the Chalone group, the owner of several prestigious brands. His work with Chalone gave him in-depth knowledge of winegrowing in the Edna Valley just five miles from the Pacific Ocean. This interlude as an executive winemaker led him to found Echelon and manage all of Chalone's many wineries and vineyards.

In 2000, Larry became an independent consultant and his association with Tolosa began during this period. He had strong prior relationships with the principal owners of Tolosa from working with them on various Chalone projects and he continued to work as a winemaking consultant with Tolosa until early 2006 when he accepted the position he holds today of senior winemaker.

Tolosa's sustainably farmed vineyards are located in the coastal hills of San Luis Obispo. Larry's goal is to create elegant, balanced wines that are true to varietal character and expressive of the cooling ocean breezes and long growing season that define the site.

Larry not only oversees the winemaking team at Tolosa but also has his own Pinot Noir label called Campion, with fruit from other great growing regions such as the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County.

Larry holds BA in Botany with a minor in Art History from Rutgers University and has done graduate work at U.C. Davis. He claims his early studies in Art helped prepare him for the type of intuitive decisions that are at the heart of winemaking. Wine is made as much with the heart as with the head. So to understand a winemaker's style, it is crucial to review aesthetic as well as intellectual development.