Don Johnson
Clive and Don JohnsonDon Johnson purchased the Gordon Valley Farm in Suisun Valley in 1977, and is now the Proprietor of Winerhawk Winery. When purchased, the property came with vineyards and a contract to sell grapes to Sebastiani. Don didn’t have experience growing wine grapes, but, having grown up in Michigan on a dairy farm, he understood farming. Don learned how to grow grapes from local farmers.
After nearly three decades of growing outstanding wine grapes and selling them to neighboring vintners, Don decided to take his venture one step further and produce wine from his own grapes. Don’s vision for his business is that of a perfectly formed circle: great vineyards, exceptional vineyard management, top-notch facilities, and outstanding winemaking. All of these qualities, complementing each other, ultimately lead to the desired end result, which is wine that tastes like the grapes did on harvest day. His goal is to respect the grapes and to produce wines without excess oak, excess alcohol, and without manipulating the yeast. Each vintage should be different than the one that preceded it, because the grapes display such different characteristics from year to year.
Don brought Matt Smith on as the Winterhawk winemaker in 2007 because Don felt that Matt’s winemaking philosophy and approach mirror his own. Matt is a true craftsman who enjoys the high-level of involvement that Don was looking for in a winemaker. Don and Matt, together with Vineyard Manager Jim Parr, continue to work as a team to bring the circle that is Don’s vision to life.
