It was 1994. After saying goodnight to our last wedding guests, we carried a bottle of wine upstairs to take in the view at Chimney Rock Winery.

That poem by Percy Shelley was printed on our wedding invitation, and the words meant everything to us—they reflected our shared belief in the beauty of nature and the love, connection, and purpose we felt for each other. We believed that if we worked hard, stayed focused, and took advantage of every opportunity, we could achieve the life we dreamed of together.

Thirty years later, one of those dreams has come true. Welcome to Stellar Ridge Vineyard, a boutique winery in California’s Sierra Foothills AVA in Newcastle, California, where we craft estate-grown Rhône varietals using sustainable and regenerative farming practices. We’re so excited to show you around and share a part of our journey.

From Land to Home

In 2009, we purchased a beautiful piece of land in the Sierra Foothills AVA, originally envisioning it as a future retreat. Two years later, life brought us back to California from Texas, and after a series of failed offers on homes and properties, we decided to build our dream house earlier than planned.

Committed to supporting local industries, we constructed our home using as many American-made materials as possible, an adventure we documented on our Facebook page, Our American Made Home.

Of course, building a dream house can be financially challenging, and the vineyard dream had to wait—at least for a while.

A Million Stars and a Vineyard

Five years later, under the twinkling stars that seemed to watch over our ridge, we decided it was time to begin. With limited resources but limitless determination, we took a leap of faith and started preparing the land that would become Stellar Ridge Vineyard.

Armed with a tractor and sheer grit, we dug trenches, laid irrigation pipes, and meticulously mapped out the vineyard layout with the help of our friend Daniel Belshe. Sourcing second-hand materials, stripping trellis wire from an old winery in Sonoma, and enlisting Andrew Graves to help drive the posts, we planted over 800 Grenache and Mourvèdre vines by hand.

We’ve learned farming the hard way—through hands-on experience, college classes, trusted advisors, and good old trial and error. Every season teaches us something new about our vineyard, the soil, and the art of winemaking.

From Hobby to Business

As the vines matured, we started crafting our wines and refining our techniques until we finally reached a place where we felt proud to share it with others. In 2023, we released our first vintage: the 2023 GSM Rosé.