EVENTS

Bart Hansen

Proprietor-Winemaker
DANE CELLARS

My career in the wine industry began as a summer job. During that first harvest, my job was to deliver five tons of grapes at a time, down the mountain, in a one-ton truck. It was from that experience that I knew I wanted to be a winemaker. I began my professional career with Kenwood Vineyards in 1986, where we specialized in vineyard-designated Zinfandels and Cabernets grown in Sonoma Valley.

In 1998, I left my position as Cellarmaster for Kenwood and joined the wine-making team at Benziger Family Winery, just down the road in Glen Ellen. My focus was the production of wines for the Benziger Family Ranch including Tribute, Imagery Estate and Benziger vineyard designates, and in particular the Zinfandel wines for Benziger and Imagery Estate. It was at Benziger that I was introduced to biodynamics and organic farming. At the time, both practices were new to the industry and we developed winemaking methods to go along with the farming practices.

I loved the idea of bringing cutting-edge techniques to age-old winemaking processes. With a passion for creating small-lot, distinctive wines, I was thrilled to join the Lasseter Family Vineyards in 2007 and to have the opportunity to create premium vintages of Rhone and Bordeaux-inspired blends from organically-grown grapes. It was also in 2007 that our son, Dane was born, becoming the inspiration and namesake for the opening of Dane Cellars, that same year.

Robert Schermeister

Founder + Winemaker
Schermeister Winery

In a magical moment surrounded by fellow travelers sipping great wines in Italy, Rob, then a college student, knew his life was about to change forever. It was 2005 and he was in the midst of finishing a degree in Biochemistry at the University of Idaho. His path surely would have led to something in livestock or potatoes, but the universe had different plans. A vacation in Europe was now a pivotal point in the life decisions of a 23-year-old searching for something more, so Rob decided that he would put his obsession with science and nature to good use. He was going to make wine and it was going to be amazing. Having grown up backpacking the Wind Rivers and backcountry of Idaho, Rob felt a deep connection to the workings of the earth and uses that passion to make something for people to enjoy – something that is massively satisfying for his soul. It is experienced in every vintage he makes.

When Rob knew he was going to make wine, he also knew he had to learn from the best. Working as assistant winemaker to cult greats Mark Aubert and Jayson Pahlmeyer, Rob perfected his native fermentation techniques and went on to start his own winery. Further winemaking experience in Washington, Australia, and New Zealand positioned him to begin working on Schermeister Winery, born in 2012. It was the culmination of years of experience with the dream of one day running his own show. Rob is happy to say he is finally doing just that alongside his wife, Laura and their winery dog, Eli.