Jose's Winemaking Journey with Regan Vineyards

When it comes to his journey in winemaking, CRŪ winemaker Jose Reyes credits his introduction to the business to the historic Bargetto Winery and Regan Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. As a young man, Jose used to pass the winery on his way to work and his passion for winemaking was ignited.

He met with the winery owner and began working at the winery the next day. A quick learner, Jose was incredibly hands-on working in the cellar, on the bottling line, harvesting and learning everything he could about crafting high quality Central Coast wines. During his time at Bargetto Winery, he had the opportunity to explore and make wines from Regan Vineyards and their famous Mt. Eden clone.

Jose moved on to work at other wineries but he often thought back to Regan Vineyards. Situated atop a hilly knoll in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Regan Vineyards receives cool breezes off the Monterey Bay and its hilltop setting delivers consistent sun exposure. These combine with unique soils and mountainous topography for wines rich in flavor with bright acidity.

“My very first introduction to wine was Regan Vineyards. After my first harvest I was hooked, and I knew I wanted to be a winemaker. Regan Vineyards has always been a vineyard I wanted to make wine from and I am excited to now craft CRŪ Winery Regan Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Mt. Eden Clone." This is a great moment for me to honor my winemaking roots while sharing this amazing wine with our members.” Jose Reyes, CRŪ Winemaker.