Kurt Beitler is the founder and winemaker at Bohème in the Sonoma Coast of California. One of Beitler’s ancestors was the director of Napa’s Beaulieu Vineyards’ first vintage in 1900. Another was the winemaker for Inglenook, in the early 1900s. Growing up, Beitler was very close to his grandfather and grandmother, Charlie & Lorna Wagner, founders of the iconic Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley. But it was uncle Chuck Wagner, who is most influential in Kurt’s career. Chuck encouraged Him to join the family tradition in winegrowing (in late 1999).
Beitler was attracted to it because, “It’s agriculture; and I am using my body and mind. Part of the beauty of growing grapes close to the ocean, is that there’s a long growing season, where sugars accumulate slowly, and the wines have a rare depth and dimension. There’s a lot of pressure on New World producers for explosiveness, and Pinot Noir is no exception. Many join the race to darken the wines, concentrate the flavors, soften the acidity.” Those protocols are anathema to Beitler’s philosophy.
Media Inquiries: Alan Goldfarb wineflak@gmail.com | https://www.bohemewines.com/
What’s the ONE THING most unique, authentic, & memorable about your brand?
I come from a long line of California winegrowers dating back to the late 1800s. My great-great-grandfather, Lafayette Stice, was winemaker at Inglenook after Gustave Niebaum’s death in 1908. Around the same time, my great-grandfather Carl Wagner, an Alsace-Lorraine immigrant, purchased 70 acres in Rutherford and quickly scaled up to produce 30,000 gallons of wine. His son—my grandfather Charlie Wagner—spent his life farming in Rutherford. At age 60, he founded Caymus Vineyards in 1972 with my grandmother Lorna Belle Glos and their son Chuck (my uncle), after years of crafting home wine.
I grew up spending summers in Napa during the 1980s, immersed in vineyard life and family traditions. After earning a finance degree from Santa Clara University in 1999, I joined the family legacy by managing a Pinot Noir vineyard in Occidental for the Belle Glos label. Inspired by the Sonoma Coast, I launched my own brand, Bohème, in 2004 from a 2-acre vineyard near the Bohemian Highway.
Over time, I expanded by planting and leasing small vineyards, including English Hill in 2005. In 2012, I moved winemaking to Sebastopol for better access and autonomy. Today, with a small team, I continue to grow and craft wine by hand, staying true to the roots of my family’s legacy.
Describe how and what you’d do with your winemaking career or winery business if you were not constrained.
With no constraints, I’d continue living and farming exactly where I am today (near Occidental, on the Sonoma Coast), and build a winery building on the hills, with large windows and open patio, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Next to it there’d be a perfectly tended vineyard, with redwoods, grasses, manzanita and coyote brush surrounding. The scent of the coast range, with fog and soft sunlight beaming in, would allow our winery guests to experience first-hand what makes the wines from our region so distinct and beautiful.
What is the One Wine most emblematic of your brand and/or winemaking style? Tell us its story.
The bottle I feel is most emblematic of Bohème is Taylor Ridge Pinot Noir. It’s made from the rare and storied Swan Selection of Pinot, which Pinot pioneer, Joseph Swan made famous at his small vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Swan Selection produces a tiny amount of fruit (usually 1 – 1.5 tons per acre) but the flavors and aromas of the wine are heavenly. The fruit tones are bright and red: especially of pomegranate, wild raspberry and dried cherries. The texture is wonderfully soft and elegant; just a slight pasty/ chalky sensation on the palate. The bouquet is perhaps its greatest attribute: springtime wildflowers, sage and barely ripe berries – also a faint hint of clove spice – the wine is sensual and ethereal. Yes, my it is my ‘desert island’ wine! Read my review of the Taylor Ridge Pinot here.
Bonus Question: What’s the one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
My favorite pastimes are cycling (road & mountain) and alpine skiing; also fishing for salmon and Dungeness crab. I love barbecuing chicken, steaks, and drinking the occasional gin martini — nothing fancy: my grandfather liked Beefeater Dry, and I keep the tradition going!