Archives: Wine Makers

Alessandra Angelini was born in Rome in 1983. She studied at the American Overseas School of Rome and Liceo Mameli. She earned her undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering from La Sapienza University in Rome in December 2006. While at La Sapienza she participated in major research projects designing Formula 1 cars and racing dinghies. In 2013, she began working for Rolls Royce North America designing airplane engines. She returned to the family business of wine and hospitality in 2017, mostly working as a brand ambassador and export manager for Caparzo, Borgo Scopeto, and Doga delle Clavule wineries. In addition, Alessandra has been an active athlete since childhood, and in 2008 was a member of the Italian Olympic Sailing Squad.

Prior to joining Domaine Carneros in 2008, TJ Evans spent 10 years in a variety of winemaking positions around the world, during which he developed not only winemaking knowledge, but a deep love of Pinot Noir and the decision to make it the focus of his professional life.

DECIDING ON WINE
Evans grew up in Northern California and completed his undergraduate studies at Amherst College, in Massachusetts. Early in his career, he landed winemaking internships at Robert Mondavi Winery and then Far Niente Winery, where his interest in winemaking was piqued. However, it wasn’t until a life-changing trip to the northern Rhône Valley and an apprenticeship that focused exclusively on Pinot Noir that he cemented his future in winemaking.

In 1997, after completing his master’s degree at UC Davis, TJ traveled to New Zealand to work harvest at Villa Maria Estate, and then to the Rhône Valley, where his time at 500-year-old Domaine Jean-Louis Chave put his winemaking life in perspective.

A PINOT NOIR OBSESSION
Upon his return to the United States, Evans took a position at La Crema Winery in the Russian River Valley, where he focused on crafting Pinot Noir—and ignited an obsession with the grape. He then went to Alderbrook Winery in Dry Creek Valley, where he continued to work with Pinot Noir in addition to single-vineyard Zinfandels. While his focus was to expand his knowledge of Pinot, working with Zinfandel was one of the most influential aspects in his understanding of blending. From 2005 to 2008, Evans returned to the southern hemisphere, this time developing a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir estate for Vinedos y Bodegas Corpora in the Bío Bío Valley of Chile.

ARRIVING IN CARNEROS
Upon returning from Chile, and drawing from his past experiences, Evans knew that Carneros was where he could best use his Pinot Noir–making skills. Domaine Carneros was an easy choice: It allowed him to apply his 10 years of experience to the still wines while also exploring the use of Pinot Noir in a way that was new to him—in the production of sparkling wine.

In addition to Pinot Noir, Evans enjoys rock climbing, cycling and a little bit of yoga to get through the harvest.

A master of Pinot Noir, known for his terroir-driven approach to winemaking, Mike Waller has worked alongside legendary vintner Josh Jensen for more than a decade, helping to guide winemaking at Calera. Mike’s winemaking style honors the character and complexity of Calera’s six renowned sites on Mt. Harlan, which are the source for some of the New World’s most revered wines. In the winery, Mike captures the nuance of these grand cru-caliber vineyards to create sophisticated wines renowned for their layered elegance and aging potential.

A native of Hollister, California, Mike grew up just ten miles from Calera. An avid homebrewer, Mike fell in love with wine during a trip to Napa Valley in his early 20s. “That was the first time I experienced wine on a more cerebral level,” says Mike. “It was also when I started to see wine as a meeting point between science, agriculture and art.” Eager to learn more, Mike took a job on the bottling line at David Bruce Winery, and soon after enrolled at UC Davis. While earning his degree in viticulture and enology, Mike worked at Saintsbury, where he began to develop a passion for Pinot Noir.

After graduation, Mike spent a year as the wine chemist at Beringer, before moving home to the Central Coast to become the assistant winemaker at Chalone in 2004. Mentored by acclaimed winemaker Dan Karlsen, Mike developed a deeper, more vineyard-inspired approach to winemaking. “I grew up on the Central Coast reading books like Steinbeck’s ‘The Pastures of Heaven,’” says Mike. “This is a region of pioneers who have followed their own path, while embracing a connection to the land. In the world of wine, these are often the foundations for greatness.”

In 2007, when Josh Jensen invited Mike to become the assistant winemaker at Calera, he was thrilled. “Josh is rightfully a legend,” adds Mike. “He sought out a place to grow his wines that was so remote, with no electricity, little water, and challenging growing conditions. He put everything on the line because this is what he believed it would take to make some of the finest wines in the world—and he was right.”

Mike and Josh quickly discovered that they shared similar philosophies, palates and approaches to growing and making wine, and in 2009, Josh named Mike the winemaker for Calera. In the years since, Mike has developed an intimate understanding of Calera’s vineyards that allows him to make elegant, age-worthy wines recognized for their cool-climate purity. From his judicious use of new oak to his measured incorporation of whole clusters, each of Calera’s single-vineyard wines is made to frame the uniqueness of the winery’s six Mt. Harlan vineyards. “Because we have some of the oldest vines on the Central Coast, the roots dig deep, delivering remarkable complexity,” says Mike. “At the same time, each site is unique, with its own story to tell each growing season. These are the stories we strive to tell.”