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Dan moved to California from his home state of Wisconsin in 2002 with one intention - that of getting involved in the wine industry, as a winegrower. He began his transformation from mild-mannered to super-winemaker by completing a Bachelors Degree in Viticulture from California State University, Fresno. It didn’t take long for this experience to further pique his interest in the art of winemaking, so he accepted a position as |
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Assistant Winemaker at Domaine Alfred in California’s Central Coast. It
was here where Dan perfected the basics of how to run a cellar and how to
grow grapes using Biodynamic farming methods. After two years at Domaine
Alfred, he headed to the Santa Cruz Mountains to work for the
up-and-coming Pinot Noir producer, Rhys Vineyards. At Rhys, Dan began to
take viticulture and winemaking very seriously; he began to realize that
this was his calling. In a moment of clarity at Rhys, Dan realized he was
ready to run a small vineyard and winery that is focused on producing high
quality Pinot Noir.
In 2007, Dan became the Vineyard Manager and Winemaker at
Johan Vineyards. Dan brings enthusiasm, passion, and an intimate knowledge
of the grapes to the winery, which is invaluable to our ability to produce
wines that reflect our vineyard and each individual growing season.