Winemaker Biography

Greg Bjornstad

Greg Bjornstad studied Agronomy with a Foreign Service emphasis at Colorado State University, preparing him for a career in international development. He first discovered fine wine in the Caribbean, and his interest deepened while living in and around New York City.

His wanderlust led him cross-country to Davis, California, where he began graduate studies in Viticulture in 1989. At UC Davis, Greg pursued both vines and wines, taking numerous enology courses alongside his viticulture curriculum.

In 1990, he received a Wine Spectator Scholarship and worked the harvest at Newton Vineyards. The following year, he completed an internship at Chateau Lafite Rothschild in France — an experience that profoundly shaped his approach to winemaking.

Greg went on to serve as Viticulturist at Joseph Phelps Vineyards for four years before returning to Newton. Since 1997, he has collaborated closely with growers across Sonoma County, building the relationships that define Bjornstad Cellars today.

Greg Bjornstad's path to winemaking reflects a deep commitment to understanding both the land and the craft. After completing his graduate studies in Viticulture at UC Davis, he carried forward a philosophy shaped by traditional Burgundian techniques, working with fruit sourced from some of Sonoma County's most venerable single vineyards. His approach emphasizes sustainable and biodynamic farming, careful fermentation, and a clear intention to represent each location's unique terroir. The result is an extremely limited annual production of handcrafted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that has earned high regard from reviewers and press alike, offering wine enthusiasts a genuine taste of the Russian River Valley and surrounding appellations.