William Knuttel - Winemaker / Partner
Long time California wine- maker William Knuttel has concentrated on ultra-premium wine making for the majority of his wine career.
PHILOSOPHY:
Knuttel’s philosophy has long been to make an enormous range of wines in various styles in any given vintage, for the simple reason that a winemaker only gets to make a limited number of vintages over his lifetime. This wealth of experience has led directly to his adherence to traditional winemaking practices, which lead to balanced, elegant wines that pair well with foods and have excellent aging potential—the hallmarks of classic wine.
CAREER:
To that end, Knuttel keeps himself incredibly busy. He consults for numerous clients, for whom he produces a broad stable of labels across many varieties of Napa and Sonoma wines. He is also Executive Winemaker for Dry Creek Vineyard, where he has completely re-honed the styles and quality of that winery’s extensive portfolio over the past seven years. He was ZAP’s winemaker in 2005, producing their Heritage Zinfandel, and President of the California Cabernet Society 1999-2003.
Previously, Knuttel was owner/winemaker of Tria, founded in 1993 to produce fine Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel, and VP/Winemaker at Chalk Hill Winery from 1996 to 2003, specializing in ultra-premium Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. Knuttel was Saintsbury’s winemaker from 1983 to 1996, establishing that brand as an international leader in high-end Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
FAMILY:
William Knuttel lives in Napa with his wife Robin, a Cosmetic Dermatologist. His daughter Kate is a recent graduate from California College of the Arts, while his son Sebastian, a cellist, studies at UC Santa Cruz, majoring in Mathematics with a minor in music. As its President over five years, Knuttel developed the Napa Valley Youth Symphony, a non-profit dedicated to bringing professional orchestral experience to talented young musicians, and, as an avid supporter of the arts in general, he sits on the board of Berkeley Symphony as Vice President of Development.