Ryan Hodgins has been Breggo Cellars’ winemaker since its inception in 2005, and is the linchpin of the property. Ryan spends much of his time working with Breggo’s growers in the vineyards and says that “one of the keys to our early success was sourcing from the best vineyards in Anderson Valley” and adds that “working with the same growers since Breggo’s founding means that I now have an intimate understanding of each site and can focus on the details in the vineyard that make great wine.”

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Breggo Cellars Winemaker Ryan Hodgins first exposure to wine happened in an unlikely place—at Ohio’s Oberlin College. Ryan connected with his plant-biology professor over the topic of wine growing, and from that point on Ryan was hooked. After graduation, the allure of wine was too strong to ignore, and five years later Ryan made his way to California to enroll in the Master’s program in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, Davis.

During his time studying at Davis, Ryan spent harvests in Oregon researching his thesis on Pinot Noir tannins in the Willamette Valley. After graduating and working harvests in Oregon, Napa and India, Ryan worked at Hanzell Vineyards in Sonoma as the Assistant Winemaker and Viticulturist. While at Hanzell, Ryan had the opportunity to work with the oldest Pinot Noir vines in the New World and helped craft one of California’s most age-worthy Chardonnays.

Ryan says of his time at Hanzell, “working at one of California’s oldest wineries taught me the importance of taking the long view in making great wine – you can’t rush the process or cut corners”. Ryan appreciates Cliff Lede Vineyard’s similar approach “Cliff’s acquisition of Breggo and Savoy Vineyards has given me the ability to never compromise on quality.”

When he is not in the winery or vineyard, Ryan enjoys gardening, running, and spending time with his wife (who is also a viticulturist) and their two young children.