St. Francis

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards: Sonoma County Wine that is Made with Passion

Filed under: Wine

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards is a Readers' Choice Nominee for Best Domestic Red Wine.

St. Francis Winery was established and christened after St. Francis of Assisi, in recognition of the Saint's role as protector of the natural world and as acknowledgment of the Franciscan order, believed to have been the first first to bring European grape cultivation to the New World.

The winery's roots date back to 1971 when Joe Martin, a San Francisco businessman and his wife, Emma, purchased the 100 acre Behler Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, Ca., located in the historic town of Kenwood. In 1979, after several years of growing and selling grapes to local wineries, Martin and partner, Lloyd Canton, decided to build their own winery. A few years later, Martin hired Tom Mackey to be his winemaker, and the rest is award-winning history.

Thirty years later, Tom Mackey is still the winemaker. "When people ask me, 'What is the best wine you have ever made? I always reply, 'I haven't made it yet.' But today I think we are getting closer," he says.

Gallery: St. Francis Winery & Vineyards