Laurie Hook
Winemaker
Beringer Vineyards

Laurie Hook attributes her first spark of interest in wine to learning her family had roots in winemaking. "I found out that my family had owned a Chateau (Chateau Olivier) in France before the revolution. I started to read about wine and to taste wine and then discovered you could get a degree in winemaking. It seemed to really pull together my love of history, science, doing something creative, and something that connected me to the earth. I love that winemaking has such a long history — the Mesopotamians were making wine in 6,000 BC. After that, for the past 8,000 years, we've been learning to make it better. That's what we are still doing today."

Laurie transferred to the winemaking program at the University of California at Davis, training ground for noted winemakers in California and around the world. Following graduation in 1984, she traveled to Australia to work in a small Melbourne-area winery for six months. "I did everything from pruning the vines, driving a tractor and harvesting the grapes to making and bottling the wine and even selling it. I got a real hands-on education as well as great travel. And I had the irreplaceable experience of looking up while pruning one day and seeing a kangaroo in the vineyard." A harvest at a Sonoma County winery followed.

In 1986, Laurie came to Beringer as an enologist, a job that allowed her to solidify the scientific side of her training. In 1997, she was named assistant winemaker to Winemaster Ed Sbragia, and in 2000 was promoted to Winemaker for Beringer Vineyards. "You can't make wine only through science," says Laurie. "California winemakers learned that in the 1970s and early 1980s, when a highly scientific approach resulted in very clean wines but not necessarily the most interesting ones. Ed has been a great mentor - he has shown me the importance of being true to oneself and that while the scientific part of winemaking is important (and fun), it is just as essential to trust your instincts. "

"One of the great things about being part of such a long-standing winery is that it has given us the time to collect some fantastic vineyards. There is nothing better than being out in the vineyard tasting grapes in the early morning, just as the fog rises. Following that process through to a bottle that someone might enjoy 10 years later is part of what makes my work so fascinating. I find it incredibly rewarding to be able to remember each vintage in both winemaking and personal terms."

Outside of the winery, Laurie loves traveling, gardening, a wide variety of books, and collecting antiques. She enjoys relaxing while reading on her front porch with pets Jake and Sophie, as well as time spent around the table with family and good friends enjoying great food and, of course, great wine.