Robert Young has greatly influenced the California wine community since the early 1960s. He pioneered the premium grape industry in California and was first to plant Cabernet Sauvignon in the Alexander Valley. Robert was instrumental in changing the way growers and vintners work together, initiating higher standards that inspired his peers nationally and internationally.

Robert Young began conversion of his prune orchards to vineyards when then Sonoma County Farm Advisor Robert Sisson encouraged him to lead the newest trend in California agriculture: premium varietal wine grapes. In 1963, Young planted 6,500 vines on 14 acres in the Alexander Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon was the up-and-coming variety, according to the University of California at Davis. It was a practical variety as well, since this late harvesting grape could be picked after the same crew brought in the prune harvest. Robert Young has always understood the importance of research and experimentation. At a time when traditional California vines were head-pruned, he suspected that trellising vines would produce higher quality fruit.

He planted his first Chardonnay vines in 1967. The widely publicized success of this vineyard, and the family’s desire to continually upgrade, prompted the Youngs to select and propagate a singular clone, known today as the Robert Young Clone.

“We are blessed to live on and farm land that is very, very special,” he says. “I hope that what we have now will never be abused; that future generations will treat the land well and understand that, by being generous, the land will continue to grow whatever we wish for it to grow.”

FRED YOUNG
Winery Founder and Owner
Fred Young was the driving force behind the development of Robert Young Estate Winery. As its first president, Fred used his entrepenurial and creative skills to help design and direct the construction of the winery facilities, and later managed the initial stages of wine production while building the business and brand marketing.
Currently, along with his brother Jim and sisters JoAnn and Susan, Fred oversees the winery’s operation and growth.

JIM YOUNG
Winery Owner and Vineyard Manager
Jim Young, the oldest son of Robert Young, learned grape farming at his father’s side. Jim now heads winegrowing for all the family vineyards. He earned a degree from the University of California at Davis in plant science with a specialty in viticulture and enology, then in 1975 returned home to Robert Young Vineyards to continue the family tradition of innovative farming. In 1987, he implemented the planting of six-foot-wide vine rows. To create a more balanced vine, he introduced new trellising systems. “These systems open up the canopy and moderate the vigor of the vine,” he explains. “The larger canopy surface area encourages healthier exposure of the grapes to sunlight, which greatly improves the flavors of the wine.”

History      Vineyards      Winemaking