Windy Hill Winery

Warner Henderson was born in Exeter, California where he lived until the age of ten when he moved to San Luis Obispo. While attending Cal Poly, a bottle of a 1968 Sebastiani Barbera launched his interest in wine. Switching schools and degrees, he attended UC Davis and attained a degree in Viticulture. This was to be Warner's passion. While learning to grow Pinot noir in Oregon, Warner realized that the real educational experience laid in the centuries old vineyards of Provence and Burgundy. In 1982, speaking not a word of French and with $300 dollars in his pocket, he traveled to Paris. Warner roomed with a family in Provence and began to learn the ways of French living. Riding around on a moped, he tasted the wines of some of the renowned wineries of Provence and Chateauneuf Du Pape (New Castle of the Pope). Refining his palate and conditioning it to the tastes of superior wines, Warner sampled some of the France's best. Invited to Burgundy to the Domaine De La Pousse D'OR (Domain of the Shoot of Gold) for the harvest to work alongside wine master Gerant Potel, Warner saw grapes from seven Premier Cru vineyards come in to the winery and become seven different wines with seven different personalities. "To be able to taste those different wines and taste the aged personalities of each wine, was an invaluable experience for a winemaker."
At the end of Warner's En Tour as Stagaire of wine, he returned with a new found sense and even greater affinity for the potential of grapes grown in California. In 1983 he moved into Sonoma County and began his domestic wine making career with a nine year stint at Diamond Creek Vineyards. Over the course of his time at Diamond Creek, Warner learned about quality wine making and how caring for the grapes provide the base for excellent flavors. Working under Al Brounstein, Warner applied the lessons from his experiences in France to the relatively new winery. Moving around to the wineries of Sonoma and Napa, Warner learned the different methods that come with different vineyards. Warner refined his talents and explored the tastes that different areas of Northern California have to offer. In 2002, Warner saw an ad for vineyard manager in Petaluma for a small vineyard next to Highway 101. The owner, Michael, was adamant about having an experienced wine maker come and manage his vineyard. After much discussion, Warner was given the dream of any vintner, the management of his very own winery. With a healthy budget, Warner was able to apply his experience transforming the property into a winery he could be proud of. Converting an old hay barn into the Estate Wine Facility, he was able to refurbish the vines of the vineyards with a low yield perspective that produces healthy-happy fruit. "Happy grapes make great wine."