Ken Lanza

From Ken Lanza’s perspective, he’s worked at Wooden Valley his entire life. He remembers working full-time after school and on weekends, beginning at age twelve. He drove the tractor, which involved discing, mowing, and irrigating. Ken would come home from school, do his homework, and go right out to the fields. Back then, they didn’t have as many grapes; but they had figs and pears, and Ken remembers needing to work the land. This taught Ken the value of a strong work ethic very early in life.

He recalls that his grandfather Mario treasured people and loved entertaining. He was accustomed to hard work, but when it came down to it for Mario, life was about people, wine, and good food. This love of life taught Ken how to work hard, but also to appreciate the family and friends that surround him.

Ken sees Suisun Valley as a mini version of Napa, because both AVAs have intricate microclimates. Suisun Valley is only six miles long, but Ken feels that it is a valley in which many different cultivars can grow because of its diverse geography. The south is very cool, with temperatures increasing to the north. This climate, which is really a collection of microclimates, allows for many different varieties of grapes to grow here. Ken knows that they’re able to manage them all well, as he’s come to understand the unique terroir of each vineyard segment. Ken first considers the location of the vineyard within their property, and then decides which variety to plant where, always striving for balanced vines. He’s also willing to sacrifice in order to achieve that goal. Quality over quantity is his main focus.

Ken also completely understands that it’s crucial to know the exact time to pick. They pick much later in the season than they used to, as they’ve become accustomed to the flavor profiles of the grapes that they are producing. Ken’s found that sometimes just three more days on the vine can make a tremendous difference. To him, there’s a huge distinction between sugar ripe and flavor ripe.

Communication with winemaking brother Rick is a necessity. Ken prefers to think of himself as a “winegrower” versus a “grape-grower,” because it gives him a completely different understanding. Ken knows that if he were completely removed from the winemaking process, he wouldn’t understand the complexities and intricacies of a well balanced, winemaking process. He also recognizes that he wouldn’t appreciate the importance of well-tended vines. What starts in the vineyards ends up in the bottle of wine, and Ken is cognizant of every step in the process being so important, including his own role. The entire family understands that what they do together in unison leads to quality in Wooden Valley wines.