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Byron Vineyard & Winery

Owner(s) Jackson Family Wines
Web site www.byronwines.com
 
Link to this site

The first commercial vineyard in Santa Barbara County was established by Uriel Nielson in 1964. Ken Brown (Byron Kent Brown) later founded his Byron Winery on the site of the original Nielsen Vineyard and released the first Byron Pinot Noir from purchased grapes in 1984. Brown acquired the 118-acre Nielsen Vineyard in 1989. In 1990, Robert Mondavi Winery bought Byron. A few years later, Ken Brown left to pursue his own label and Ken Volk purchased the Byron Winery and renamed it Kenneth Volk Vineyards. Subsequently Byron passed through the hands of Constellation Brands, Legacy Estates Group and finally Jackson Family Wines who currently own the winery.

The winemaker since 2003 is Jonathan Nagy, a University California Davis graduate. He works with all of the commonly used Dijon clones plus Pommard, Wadenswil and Swan selection from multiple vineyard sources including Nielson Vineyard, Sierra Madre Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Julia's Vineyard. There are both Santa Maria Valley appellation Pinot Noirs and vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs (Sierra Madre Vineyard, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Julia's Vineyard, Nelson Vineyard, and Monument Vineyard).

The tasting room is located in Los Olivos at The Bench: An Artisan Estate Winery Collection, 2367 Alamo Pintado Avenue.

Articles About Byron Vineyard & Winery

Reviewed Wines

2007 Byron Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., $19. Estate produced and bottled. · Well-oaked cherry fruit with herbal overtones carrying through in the flavors. Noticeably toasty. Clean and precise with soft tannins. Matches up nicely with grilled lamb. Reviewed November 17, 2008 ARTICLE »