After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in entymology Bruce spent several years working for wineries in Northern California before coming to Santa Barbara Winery in 1981 as winemaker. In that time his wines have received numerous awards and his abilities nationally recognized. Bruce was one of the pioneers in the development of Pinot Noir and Syrah in Santa Barbara County and in California.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in entymology Bruce spent several years working for wineries in Northern California before coming to Santa Barbara Winery in 1981 as winemaker. In that time his wines have received numerous awards and his abilities nationally recognized. Bruce was one of the pioneers in the development of Pinot Noir and Syrah in Santa Barbara County and in California.

Clarissa fell in love with the aromas of Pinot Noir when she started working with wine in 1995. She received a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from California Polytechnic State University, and began her career as a Lab Technician at Edna Valley Vineyards. From there she moved through the roles of Assistant Winemaker at Byron Winery, Assistant Winemaker/Vineyard Supervisor at Longoria Winery, and winemaker for Bonaccorsi Wine Company. Clarissa is known for her elegant, sophisticated winemaking style, and for her appreciation for fruit that comes from the Santa Maria Valley. She continues to refine Riverbench wines each vintage, and adds her own unique style to our portfolio.

“It was my first harvest —interning in 2009—when my heart first fell in love. Picking Pinot Noir at the Santa Maria Gold Coast Vineyard before the sun came up. My fingers were freezing and for hours we picked and sorted. I listened closely that morning to the theories behind the growth and life of the vine. Being that connected to the earth was inspiring. Then, for three and a half years (2010-2013), I apprenticed at Sanguis, where I gained much more wine knowledge. Today, utilizing what I was taught, it is my goal to continue working with remarkable vineyards. In discovering their nuances I hope to help guide each varietal to make a wine that will show a sense of place and style.“ — Jessica Gasca

Kyle learned winemaking from the ground up, starting with harvest at a local winery. He spent a vintage abroad in Western Australia and fell in love with the craft. Upon returning home, he jumped right back into another harvest until he worked his way up to becoming Winemaker at Stolpman Vineyards in 2017. He knew, early on, that he wanted to create something different, against the grain so to speak, to represent his winemaking style.

Andrew Murray fell in love with the emerging Rhône varieties, Syrah and Viognier, in the late 1980’s while traveling through France’s Rhône Valley. Leaving his UC Berkeley paleontology studies behind, he pursued his new mistress, Syrah, with an internship in Australia. His three-month tryst evolved into a 15-month romance with the famed Australian Shiraz. Returning to the states, he earned a bachelor’s degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis’ renowned wine program, then founded his eponymous Santa Ynez winery and vineyard. Andrew and his family were drawn to the natural beauty, climate, soils and topography of Santa Barbara County. It all reminded him of his travels through the Rhône Valley where he first fell in love with the notion of winegrowing while just a teenager.

Steve Beckmen is a leader in Santa Barbara County farming and winemaking, with over 30 years of experience running his family’s winery. He founded Beckmen Vineyards in 1994 with his parents, Tom and Judy Beckmen, and has since worked tirelessly in every role at the winery, committed to making wines that embrace the soul of the family’s biodynamically-farmed Ballard Canyon and Los Olivos vineyards. As a self-taught winemaker, Steve’s hands-on approach and thirst for knowledge led him to become an early authority on the farming and production of Rhone varietals in the Santa Ynez Valley, as well as techniques that were once deemed experimental, such as biodynamic farming and whole cluster fermentation.