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Roudon-Smith Winery was founded in 1972 by Bob and Annamaria Roudon and Jim and June Smith. The winery is dedicated to the production of exceptional wines from the vineyards of the Santa Cruz Mountains, including our estate-grown Chardonnay. We also purchase grapes from selected vineyards in other regions of the state. Traditional wine-making methods result in elegant, long-lived wines, the perfect complement to a meal. The original dream was conceived as a radical lifestyle change by Bob and Annamaria Roudon, who moved to the Bay Area in the early 1970's to make it a reality. Roudon met engineer Jim Smith in the early days of the growing computer industry when they both worked at Silicon Valley's Amdahl and began sharing his plans for a small winery to be established in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. Dreams soon led to action. In the spring of 1972 the two engineers purchased vineyard land high up in the mountains and began a strenuous commute that involved wives Annamaria and June, the Smith children, Jeffrey, Brad, Jason and Joy, and a first crush in a tiny basement winery. As the estate-planted vineyard matured, the Roudon-Smith reputation grew and patience with the "over the hill" commute waned, the two couples eventually took the leap, quit jobs, moved fortunes and families to the Santa Cruz Mountains and never looked back. In 1978 a newly expanded winery which would accommodate the 10,000 case goal was completed near Scotts Valley - again designed and built by engineers Roudon and Smith. The goal was (and still is) to maintain a size of operation that can be sustained and hand-operated by the Roudon-Smith workforce itself. Now, in semi-retirement, production is 2,000 cases annually. The once visionary venture of the 70s has aged well. Currently Roudon-Smith enjoys a solid maturity, built by a consistency of product that has won medals for the winery from the very beginning. Matching vintages of carefully chosen vineyards, Roudon-Smith specializes in Estate grown Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. The division of labor that helped launch both the dream and the winery's international reputation continues. Winemaker Bob Roudon still maintains the philosophy that minimal handling of the wine produces maximum quality of product. Annamaria Roudon designed the winery's every graphic image as well as balanced the books. Jim Smith manages the winery operations and June Smith handles the diplomatic chores of publicity and marketing. Annamaria lost her battle with cancer and Bob is now remarried to Kay Wangelin. The hand-made vintages of Roudon-Smith, once the exclusive province of a devoted Santa Cruz Mountain following are now distributed throughout the United States, pleasing judges, wine lovers and gourmets across the continent. Making dreams come true - for its entrepreneurs and its public - Roudon-Smith Vineyards provides fine, affordable, distinctive and endlessly drinkable wines that have helped build the reputation enjoyed by California wines today. Roudon-Smith Winery has been noted as one of the top ten California "Food Wineries" by the Wine and Food Companion of New York. LOCATION TELEPHONE WEBSITE
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