Steve Rogstad brings in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of mountain vineyard farming to his role as Brandlin winemaker. Rogstad received his Masters in Enology and Viticulture from the University of California, Davis. His winemaking career began at Saintsbury, where he learned about the unique climate and geography of the Carneros region in the southern part of the Napa Valley. His passion for Cabernet Sauvignon began when he worked at Spring Mountain Vineyards in St. Helena. Here, Rogstad worked with fruit from low yield, mountain vineyards with extended macerations and handcrafted wines.

In 1996, he joined Clos Pegase as winemaker and was credited with many award winning, highly rated wines. From Clos Pegase, he came to Cuvaison in 2002, just as the winery’s new Brandlin development was beginning to bear its first fruit. Two years later, he created the first vintage of the limited production Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon.