Sierra Oaks Estates winery began operations in 2001 with just one wine, a 2001 Merlot. The vineyard started in 1994 when Jim & Toshi, the proprieters, began preparing for retirement from business life in the San Francisco Bay Area. They bought an unimproved 40-acre parcel in the beautiful rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The surrounding area had been vineyards dating back to the gold rush era but had died out with prohibition. In the 1960s vineyards and wineries started a slow rebirth.
Jim & Toshi became interested in wine in the early 1970s when they lived in Marin County. They made frequent trips to the wineries in Sonoma and Napa areas. Jim tried his hand at home wine making with a starter kit from a local specialty wine supply store. These kits were the gift rage for several years. The first wine came out a lot better than the cheaper wines they were able to buy in the stores hence a hobby was born. Jim continued making wine on and off over the years often sharing with family and friends.
While living in the Bay Area, Jim and Toshi formed a wine tasting club. They tasted wines each month with the club and took several trips to wine regions each year. Their knowledge of wine continued to improve as well as Jim's winemaking skills. "The wines were not always great but I did a lot of experimenting with styles and varieties."
On one of their club trips, they found their way to the Sierra foothills and fell in love with the area. Knowing they would be retiring from the corporate world, they were at a time in their life when they could explore new activities. The idea of starting a vineyard grew. The land was purchased in 1994 and they immediately began building deer fence and preparing the land to be planted. Wells had to be dug, irrigation pipe installed, roads built, and a barn had to be raised. Although they still lived in the Bay Area, they worked every weekend and used all of their vacation preparing the land. The first three acres of merlot grapes were planted in July, 1995. Jim and Toshi did most of the work themselves - definitely a labor of love.
Tending the young plants and preparing for new plantings took place in 1996 and in 1997. Another 1½ acres of merlot vines were planted. At the end of 1997, Jim and Toshi left the Bay Area and "retired" to the foothills for good. In 1998, they planted the first three acres of syrah and in 1999 planted another 1½ acres. Since then, some of the merlot vines have been grafted over with zinfandel giving the estate three grape varieties.
Jim's home winemaking skills continued to improve and in 2001 Jim got the bug to make his wine commercially. "Our wines were always better than what we bought at the store and were as good or better than some that the wineries we sold to were making from our grapes."
In 2001 they had a bumper crop of merlot that exceeded their contracts. It was a great opportunity to start their winemaking profession. In 2002, Jim made a full line of wines including an estate Merlot made in several styles, an estate Rose made from Merlot, a Zinfandel from Amador County, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and an estate Syrah.
