Clendenen Vineyard Management LLC
John and Katherine Clendenen farm their home vineyard of four acres in the Dry Creek Valley since 1977. Since 1992, their vineyard management company has farmed for a number of clients in the Healdsburg area including Michel-Schlumberger Winery, Raymond Burr Vineyards and Ravenswood. They enjoy halibut with Sauvignon Blanc or a Dry Creek Zinfandel with an interesting pasta or pheasant.
Grower and Spouse names:
John and Katherine Clendenen
Vineyard/Ranch name:
Clendenen Vineyard Management LLC
Appellation:
Dry Creek Valley
How long have you farmed this property?
We have farmed the home vineyard, 4 acres, since 1977. Kathy is the fourth generation in her family to have farmed this small property, once part of a much larger family holding. John was vineyard manager for the adjacent Preston Vineyards for 22 years. In 1992, John and Kathy established Clendenen Vineyard Management, which has grown to farm over 350 acres for 10 clients in the Healdsburg area.
Total acreage and grape varieties planted:
We raise a number of varieties including: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Sirah. Some of the client properties have many clones of some varieties.
Why did you become grape growers?
John met a wonderful girl at Humboldt State University, Kathy, whose father owned farm property in the Dry Creek Valley where they currently live. After work for the US Forest Service did not turn out to be as satisfactory as expected, John and Kathy moved to the property in the Dry Creek Valley. Eventually, John went to work for the neighboring Preston Vineyards, and learned grape growing on the job. Says John, “I always wanted to farm, and grape growing is one of the most seasonal and satisfying kinds of farming.”
Farming philosophy:
We strive to be good stewards of the land and protect the environment, while producing good crops for our client owners, of the highest quality fruit. Since we are a service company and farm at the request of our clients, our practices vary somewhat from property to property, but our underlying philosophy remains the same.
What changes in farming practice do you anticipate making in the next 5 years?
We intend to fine-tune and more precisely farm each of our properties, focusing on inputs of water and fertilizer or amendments. As some of our clients are planting a variety of scion and rootstock combinations, we will be learning more about growing these new vines. To keep abreast of rising labor costs, we will be increasingly using machines for some jobs such as harvest.
What was your worst horror story in grape growing?
In one of John’s early harvests at Preston Vineyards, late one evening Kathy came down to visit while John was loading bins into the crusher. John told Kathy where to park her cherished Volkswagen beetle in the loading area. John, in his fatigue after a long day, forgot where the car was and spun the loader around and set a bin of grapes through the rear window of the car. Kathy was devastated, but the body shop and the insurance agent got a good laugh out of it.
Is your vineyard designated on any wine labels? Which ones?
One of our clients is Michel-Schlumberger Winery which bottles wine from its own estate vineyards. Another is Raymond Burr vineyards which has its own wine label. Another is the Alary vineyard, which has been named on Arrowwood’s label. Yet another is John Hawley’s vineyard, which is bottled under his own label. Our own home vineyard Voignier has also been listed on Hawley’s label. The Adams Big River vineyard has produced wines that have been featured on labels from several wineries including Ravenswood and Draxton. The Adams Ridge and Adams West properties will be featured on soon to be released wines from a new label from Adams Vineyards.
What is your favorite food/wine combination?
A current favorite is a medium-grassy Sauvignon Blanc, like Quivira, paired with halibut, or a good Dry Creek Zinfandel with an interesting pasta or wild pheasant.
Longest tenured employee
When we were deciding to strike out on our own in 1992, we felt confident we could succeed if we could get Nicolas Cornejo to come and be our lead worker. Nick had worked for John previously at Preston Vineyards and was between jobs at that time. He has succeeded marvelously as our main supervisor as the company has grown. His drive and ability are incredible.