Kenny grew up in Memphis with little knowledge of fine wine or food. His neighbor, Milton Picard, a collector of first-growth Bordeaux and Burgundy from the 1950s and 60s, introduced Kenny to the world of wine. Around the same time, Kenny met Cheryl, his wife of 44 years, and began to take cooking seriously. The couple traveled to Europe, biking through the vineyards of Burgundy, the Loire, and Bordeaux, where they fell in love with the European lifestyle.
In 1985, they moved to the Bay Area to pursue their dream of creating a wine estate that embodied great living and craftsmanship. Realizing that passion alone wouldn’t suffice, Kenny began a career in trading while Cheryl practiced neuro-radiology. In 1987, they purchased a neglected 1880 winery and vineyard, embarking on a 37-year journey to transform Blue Rock into the renowned food, wine, and hospitality venue it is today. kenny@bluerockvineyard.com https://bluerockvineyard.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, memorable about your winery brand?
The winery is historic, dating to 1880, with a reincarnation starting in 1987 to create an estate based on a European model. Our wines are crafted from the 2 vineyards that we farm with an in-house year-round crew. The wines are made by our winemaking team led by Aaron Piotter with a dedication to making each vintage better than the last. The wines are restrained by California standards, generally lower in alcohol, and feature bright acidity and structure.
Our tasting room is housed in the restored 1880 winery building. Visitation is private, by appointment, and by referral. We are exclusive and act as a private club, not because we are haughty, quite the contrary; rather, because we spend 2 to 3 hours with each guest usually over lunch and a great conversation. Most of our guests dine with us making the food and wine collaboration all more important. Most guest leave with a long term impression of our commitment to the history and sustainable future our brand represents.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained. Sky’s the limit!
I was attracted to Blue Rock because it provided an opportunity to do our best and without compromise. Obviously, we can’t use the best oak and the best vineyard blocks in every wine. However, we pay the most attention to our entry-level wines, Baby Blue, because they challenge us to do more with less. They are our handshake wines and an introduction to what is possible given the right attitude and resources. If you like the Baby Blue wines, wait until you try our Best Barrels!
The wine business is challenging today, unlike the past 40 years. However, we have quietly built a loyal following of brand ambassadors who appreciate our philosophy, consistency, and values. I like to say that “one of our values is to be a great value”.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
You would probably guess it to be our most expensive wine, Best Barrels Cabernet. However, I love all our Baby Blue wines. It is a challenge, as mentioned, to make wines that are affordable, delicious, balanced, nuanced, and consistent. They are our ambassadors. We joke that we send our Babies into the world to make friends. Read this wine review here.
Bonus Question – Why Winemaking?
My family, colleagues, and friends know that I want to have my ashes scattered on the Syrah hill overlooking the vineyard. My identity is so much linked to Blue Rock that the logo, not my name, should be engraved on the tombstone.