Niner Wine Estates Appoints New Winemaker

PASO ROBLES, Calif., May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Longtime champion of Niner Wine Estates, Patrick Muran, was recently named the brand's Head Winemaker.

"Patrick has been a team member with Niner Wine Estates since its inception," said owner, Richard Niner.  "His influence in winemaking style and technique has been instrumental in developing the brand from the early years at our previous custom crush facility, Orcutt Road Cellars.  With Patrick at the helm, the future for Niner Wine Estates looks brighter than ever. We couldn't be more delighted to see him at the helm."

Raised in San Luis Obispo County, Muran graduated with a degree in Microbiology at UC Santa Barbara before landing his first cellar job at Orcutt Road Cellars in California's Edna Valley. There, Muran developed a deep appreciation for the art of winemaking.

In 2007, Muran took the position of Head Winemaker for Santa Ynez producer Blackjack Winery, where his efforts centered on small-production Bordeaux, Syrah and Chardonnay, with opportunities to work in both vineyard and winemaking roles. 

Muran joined Niner Wine Estates in 2009 as Assistant Winemaker, where he spearheaded the effort to equip the newly-constructed LEED-Certified facility and oversaw daily operations.  Over the course of four years, Muran contributed new winemaking strategies to further enhance the quality of wines produced by the estate.

Muran's vision for the future of Niner Wine Estates is to create the highest quality estate wines in the most creative manner.  "We are uniquely positioned as a vertically integrated company to control every aspect of winemaking," said Muran.

Niner Wine Estates owns and operates three estate vineyards, comprising 148 acres: Bootjack Ranch, on the east side of Paso Robles; Heart Hill Vineyard, located on the west; and Jespersen Vineyard in the Edna Valley wine-growing region, just minutes southeast of San Luis Obispo. Both Bootjack Ranch and Heart Hill Vineyard are SIP Certified and the winery is working to gain accreditation for Jespersen Vineyard.

"By leveraging our unique and diverse vineyard holdings, we have the ability to produce some of the world's most sought-after wines, all handcrafted with thought, intuition, and vision," said Muran.

With regards to former Winemaker Amanda Cramer, Richard Niner said, "Amanda contributed a large portion of her career to Niner Wine Estates, for which we are very grateful."  He added, "She has moved on to pursue other opportunities within the wine industry, and we wish her all the best."

About Niner Wine Estates
Founded in 2001, Niner Wine Estates is the visionary initiative of Richard Niner, who believes that a blend of exceptional people, vineyards and cutting-edge technologies focused on sustainability is the key to creating world-class wines. Niner Wine Estates owns and operates three estate vineyards over 236 acres: Bootjack Ranch located on the east side of Paso Robles and Heart Hill Vineyard located on the west side, both of which are SIP Certified. The Jespersen Vineyard is located in the Edna Valley wine-growing region, minutes south east San Luis Obispo. The portfolio of award-winning wines has grown to include Bordeaux, Rhône, Italian, Burgundian varietals and proprietary blends: Twisted Spur®, Square Root®, Super Paso® and the flagship Bordeaux blend, Fog Catcher®.  Winemaker Patrick Muran crafts wines that express terroir and elegance in the state-of-the-art, LEED-Silver-certified production winery, which opened in 2009. Niner Wine Estates is located at 2400 Highway 46 West, Paso Robles, CA 93446. The hospitality center is open daily from 10:00-5:00. For more information about Niner Wine Estates, please visit www.NinerWine.com or call 805.239.2233.

CONTACTS:
Linda Sanpei
Parker Sanpei
805.550-9150 (c)
[email protected]

SOURCE Niner Wine Estates