Blair Guthrie is the founder and winemaker of Guthrie Family Wines, based in Sonoma. New Zealand–born and California–rooted, he cut his teeth in South Australia and worked under Paul Hobbs in California. Blair now crafts small-batch, expressive wines that reflect site, season, and soul. Passionate about honest, handmade winemaking, he produces wines that are raw, real, and never replicated.
Media Inquiries: blair@guthriefamilywines.com |https://www.guthriefamilywines.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
I didn’t grow up in a vineyard or inherit a chateau. I built this with my wife and kids, from the ground up, while juggling multiple jobs and hustling for fruit and space. There’s no trust fund behind Guthrie Family Wines — it’s sweat equity, long nights, missed weekends, and the belief that raw, honest wines still matter in an ocean of commodity wine.
This winery isn’t about polish or pretense. It’s about storytelling — in the bottle and on the label. It’s about keeping things real in an industry that can sometimes lose its soul chasing commodity wine and prestige. We make wines that speak to the season, but also to where we are in life — sometimes messy, sometimes electric, always intentional and always exciting. That’s the heartbeat of the brand. And people connect with that. Because it’s not a fantasy — it’s a story they’re invited into.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
Honestly? I’d build a space that feels like a creative studio disguised as a winery. A place where wine, music, art, and conversation all collide. Think: barrels on one side, art on the other. A place that’s alive — with a DJ set in the corner, artist and chef residencies in the cellar, and tastings that feel more like social club hangs than velvet-rope events.
I’d travel more with my family — harvest grapes abroad, chase weird varietals in unexpected places, and collaborate with other winemakers doing unconventional stuff. I’d make wines with no commercial pressure — just because it speaks to a moment or an idea in time.
Basically, I’d keep making honest wines — but I’d crank up the volume and bring more people along for the ride. Read my review of this “Faux” wine.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
The “Faux” Picpoul Blanc says everything about who we are. It’s unexpected, fun, and doesn’t play by the rules. The name alone — “Faux” — is a wink at how seriously people take wine sometimes. It’s like saying, relax, it’s just damn good juice.
We make it in a crisp, vibrant style — lots of tension, but with texture and soul. It’s got acid for days, but it’s also super juicy. It’s a wine that surprises people — especially folks who think they “don’t like white wine.” I love pouring it blind and watching eyes light up. That moment? That’s what this is all about.
“Faux” is emblematic because it represents the freedom we give ourselves to not follow the standard playbook. We don’t chase trends or copy what’s hot. We make what we love to drink, and we let the wines speak for themselves.