Peter Franus www.peterfranus.com

Peter Franus grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in journalism. His increasing passion for wine led him to enrol in the viticulture and enology program at Cal State Fresno in 1978. Peter worked at Chalone, Veederhills Vineyards (Hess\William Hill) and Chateau St. Jean before going to Mount Veeder Winery in 1981 where he was winemaker until the end of 1992. It was at Mount Veeder winery where Peter developed a great love for Zinfandel, which the winery produced until 1982. This became the inspiration and the opportunity for his first wine, a Zinfandel, in 1987. Peter added Cabernet Sauvignon to the line-up in 1992, and then began producing small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc in 1996.

Today, Peter Franus continues to produce a Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Zinfandel. Peter's quest for the best possible wine drives him to source fruit from outstanding vineyards. Doug Hill's and Jim Fore's Stewart Vineyard in Carneros is a source for Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot. Truchard Vineyards, also in Carneros, provides Peter with Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Peter also sources some great Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Rancho Chimiles, and Brandlin Vineyard on Mount Veeder is the source for his old-vine Zinfandel.

As a winemaker, Peter's greatest satisfaction comes he witness a smile and hears the simple comment, 'this is delicious'. "At first I thought it was a comment mainly reserved for Zinfandel, and in that sense Zinfandel has been a wonderful educator. It reaffirmed my notion that wine is a sensual experience, and my goal remains to provide as much pleasure as I can, whatever the wine."