Rick Sayre
Winemaker
Rodney Strong Vineyards, Healdsburg, California

Rick Sayre began his winemaking career in 1970, at age 19, as assistant winemaker and cellarmaster at Simi Winery in Sonoma County. He joined Rodney Strong Vineyards in 1979 and has been responsible for winemaking for the Winery's Estate, Reserve and Sonoma County varietal wines. As a practitioner of handcrafted wines, Rick is involved in all aspects of winemaking from vineyard management through final blending.

Since his arrival at Rodney Strong Vineyards, Rick has been instrumental in bringing worldwide prominence to the Winery's Estate wines. Alexander's Crown Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chalk Hill Vineyard Chardonnay have set standards of Sonoma County winemaking and have become favorites to consumers all over the United States. In 1991, his hands-on approach paid off as Wine & Spirits Magazine named him "Chardonnay Winemaker of the Year." Again in 1999 Dan Berger in Vintage Experiences named him "Winemaker of the Year."

Rick's education in winemaking began in the 1970s under the direction of the world-renowned winemaster, Andre Tchelistcheff. Rick attributes his passion for the art and his desire to master the craft to his former mentor. Always a perfectionist with an eye for detail, Rick applies these traits to making fine wine.

"It's so important to be aware of everything," he says. "Andre taught me that a winemaker must live with his wine. Even the smallest details can have an effect."

Rick has expanded his winemaking expertise with several trips to France, where he studied the interplay of oak and wine. His voracious appetite for knowledge in winemaking has also inspired journeys to Australia, New Zealand and Spain.

Visiting French cooperage houses inspired Rick to bring their barrel toasting techniques to the States. He became the first winemaker in California to install an in-house cooperage, specializing in toasting of American oak barrels. In recent years, Rick has worked very closely with one of the most renowned cooperage companies in America in an effort to perfect the American oak barrel for winemaking.

In 1989 the Klein Family, a third generation farming family from the bountiful agricultural community of California's San Joaquin Valley, purchased Rodney Strong Vineyards. In the past decade, the Klein family has invested over $50 million in state-of-the-art production facilities, barrels, and barrel storage. Under CEO Tom Klein's stewardship, Rick has been provided winemaking tools befitting his extraordinary talent as a winemaker.

The exciting new Reserve Wines produced at Rodney Strong Vineyards symbolize the Winery's commitment to the production of fine wine, the revitalization of the Winery and Rick's three decades as a Sonoma County winemaker. Included in this new premium line, are the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The introduction of the Winery's first red Meritage, Symmetry, in the year 2000 rounds out the critically acclaimed portfolio of Sonoma County wines offered by Rodney Strong Vineyards.