Mason Cellars was founded in Oakville, California in 1993 by Randy and Megan Mason. Randy Mason is well grounded in the Napa Valley with over 28 years of winemaking experience and is the master behind the wine. As a resident of Yountville, California for 20 years, Randy Mason has earned the title of winemaker and has the credentials to show. A native of San Rafael, California, Mason graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in Fermentation Science. As Vineyard Manager and Wine Consultant for Chappellet Vineyards in Napa for six years, Mason learned hands on how to cultivate, manage and harvest vineyards. Few winemakers spend as much time and attention to such details as growing seasons, rainfalls, soil amendments, pruning and picking as Mason. He possesses logs of such daily calculations. He is truly the winemakers' winemaker. From Chappellet, Mason joined the San Francisco Battat family to start their winery, Lakespring. For 16 years Mason made the wines and was the General Manager. After 16 years of business, Lakespring closed their doors and sold the winery thus prompting the start up of Mason Cellars in 1993 by Randy and his wife Megan. Coinciding with the initiation of Mason Cellars, Mason also assisted in the start up of a new custom crush winery called Napa Wine Company located in Oakville. With a fully rounded background in winemaking, day to day operations and management, Mason headed the company as General Manager; progressing to C.E.O. during the next 8 years. This, too, became the home for Mason Cellars. The first release of the Mason Cellars 1993 Merlot was a success, receiving an 89 by the Wine Spectator. In 1996 the first Mason Sauvignon Blanc was released and was received with grand accolades from the press as well as the public. It was the first Sauvignon Blanc to receive a 91 (an unheard of score for Sauvignon Blanc) and the highest amongst 150 other wines from the Wine Spectator. The subsequent vintages have all followed with similar praise. What distinguishes Mason's wines from all the others is that he enjoys and adheres only to making wines that are true to their varietal character. How he achieves this trueness and consistency is by using the same vines year after year and by spending much time in the vineyard prior to harvesting. Mason believes in letting the fruit show through in the wine and not to add a lot of processes and unnatural enhancements. He considers himself a California style winemaker. Mason also believes that Yountville, with it's perfect geographic location; in particular, the Yountville Hill, that embraces the cooling ocean breeze and fog during the warm growing season, is the ideal climate for the development of Merlot grapes. It is here that he hand selects his grapes for his Merlot. The grapes for their Sauvignon Blanc are grown in Oakville as well as Yountville. Visit the Mason Cellars website.