Sean Minor

I was born in the Midwest surrounded by agriculture and the hard work and values that give the people from that part of America their enviable work ethic. The concept of coaxing things out of the earth and bringing them to the dinner table has always been a fascinating aspect. Wine takes this concept to its zenith. My wine career began after a formal education in finance from Arizona State University where I also met my wife, Nicole. We moved to California after graduation, where I began working for Napa Valley’s Beaulieu Vineyard. I knew right from the start, the wine industry was the right place for me. I began taking classes at U.C. Davis in viticultural and enology in hopes of developing a further understanding of grape growing and wine production.

We moved to the Pacific Northwest after being recruited by King Estate Winery (widely renown for producing Oregon’s largest and most highly regarded Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris) — to manage the Estate. It is here that I met Will Bucklin, King Estate’s then winemaker, and developed an even stronger knowledge of winemaking and gained a lifelong friend. I learned firsthand the importance of site-specific viticulture, and ended up leaving King Estate to lead Benton Lane Winery - rounding out my cool climate viticulture experience. Our family returned to California in 2001 for the opportunity to manage Renwood Winery and enhance my wine experience growing and marketing some of the Golden State’s best Zinfandel and Syrah. Four years later, we founded Sean Minor Wines.

Sean Minor's Album