John Tyler Wines | True Essence

John Tyler Wines, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, CA

The story of John Tyler Wines begins in 1956 when Charles and Helen Bacigalupi purchased 121 acres on Westside Road. In the years following this purchase the Bacigalupis heeded the advice of several well respected growers, including Paul Heck, and planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay .  Originally serving the community as a dentist and a pharmacist, Charles and Helen had started down the path of building what is now one the most respected, if not THE most regarded, vineyards in all of the Russian River Valley.

John Bacigalupi, son of Charles and Helen Bacigalupi, started working on the vineyard as a child and continues farming to this day. With over 30 years devoted to the growing of quality grapes, John has developed a deep understanding of the grape growing region. This understanding has helped John become a top producer of quality wine grapes throughout the Russian River Valley. As anyone with experience in the wine industry will tell you, this endeavor is monstrous and cannot be managed alone.

In addition to the Bacigalupi’s contribution, John Tyler Wines would not be possible without Tyler Heck, a fourth generation winemaker. You’ll recall that the input the Bacigalupis received from Paul Heck was pivotal in the development of the vineyard. Paul’s son and Tyler’s father, Patrick, served as Tyler’s mentor providing him every opportunity to gain the valuable experience and knowledge required to become a top level winemaker. These experiences extend well beyond the RRV and California reaching into wine regions in the great northwest, Australia and Europe. Tyler also draws on his formal education at Fresno State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Sonoma is rich with family owned vineyards and wineries, however, few have roots that run as deep as the Bacigalupis. This relationship forged between the Bacigalupis and the Hecks over the course of many years via friendship and marriage (Pam Bacigalupi, Johns wife, is the daughter of Paul Heck) has really been the driving force for the development of JTW. No longer solely focused on growing grapes, the contributions of a third generation of Bacigalupis, Katey and Nicole and under the guidance of a 4^th generation winemaker in Tyler Heck, JTW is forging ahead developing into a premier winery in RRV and beyond.

To mark the advancement of the JTW label and winery, JTW will open it new tasting room on Westside Road in the coming days. JTW is also expecting to release its 2007 Pinot Noir in late spring 2011 (the 2006 is a Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition). If you want to capture the true essence of Sonoma County and the Russian River Valley in your selected wines, you cannot find a better example than John Tyler Wines.

If you are interested in learning more about the rich heritage of the Bacigalupi and Heck families and the promising future of John Tyler Wines, please visit their website at www.johntylerwines.com. Going to Sonoma County? Stop by their new tasting room and be one of the first to experience a new legacy in the making.