Press Releases
Greg La Follette Named Winemaker at DeLoach Vineyards
July 2, 2004 - (Santa Rosa) – Greg La Follette, star consultant and establishing winemaker of ultra-premium Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producer Flowers Vineyard and Winery, was named Winemaker at DeLoach Vineyards. He takes over from Dan Cederquist who held the post for 11 years.
“It’s a perfect fit,” said Michael DeLoach. “The team is really energized by Greg’s leadership and I’m personally very excited to work with him. It’s all about the Pinot, and as far as I’m concerned, Greg’s ‘The Man’.”
La Follette was born in Europe, growing up with an old-world view that wine is "raised" rather than "made". After studying ancient Burgundian techniques at UC Davis, he was mentored at Beaulieu Vineyard by winemaster André Tchelistcheff. From BV, Greg went to work at Russian River Valley winery Hartford Court. Finally, he turned his talents to Flowers Vineyard & Winery where he was the winemaker and general manager.
Greg's accolades include "Artisan/Winery of the Year 1995" (Hartford Court) from Wine & Spirits 1995, and again in 1999 and 2000 (unprecedented, for Flowers Vineyard & Winery); Top-Rated Chardonnay in the World from Wine & Spirits (1998 Porter-Bass Chardonnay); "The Best of the Best" for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from The Wine Spectator (Flowers Vineyard & Winery); #1 and #2 scores for 1998-99 Pinot releases from the Wine Spectator (1996 Flowers); and was named “One of the Five Finest Producers of Pinot Noir” by Robert Parker in The Wine Advocate.
“He is recognized world-wide as one of the best makers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and we are honored to have him in the family,” said Jean-Charles Boisset, leader of DeLoach’s parent company Boisset America. “I am looking forward Michael and Greg building on the 30 year tradition of pioneering and expertise established by the DeLoach family with their experience, talent and leadership. Greg has a great understanding of Burgundy and shares our vision of a terroir-focused, parcel-by-parcel winemaking process.”
DeLoach Vineyards has been making wine in the Russian River Valley since
1975 and is known for its exemplary Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
DeLoach made about 100,000 cases of wine in 2003.In November of that year
the brand, inventory, original winery building and surrounding vineyards
were sold to family-owned and operated Boisset, one of the largest producers
of Pinot Noir worldwide. The DeLoach family retains 450 acres of grapes
which supply, long-term, the winery’s estate wine programs.
