The Blueprint for Great Wine: Farming with Heart and Precision

The Farm4Profit Podcast heads to California wine country for a two-part series highlighting the remarkable people shaping the legacy and future of Sonoma County Winegrowers.

In Part 1, Dan Rotlisberger—fifth-generation farmer and Vineyard Manager at Robert Young Estate Vineyards—shares how his family’s operation evolved from diverse orchards to one of Alexander Valley’s most respected vineyards. He discusses the heritage of Sonoma County farming, the transition from prunes to grapes, and the enduring commitment to sustainability and soil stewardship. With over 14 years of professional vineyard management experience, Dan also touches on how education, mentorship, and local collaboration keep Sonoma at the forefront of responsible viticulture.

In Part 2, listeners meet Kris Hicks, Vineyard Manager for Vimark Vineyard Management and Trione Vineyards & Winery. Kris’s unconventional journey—from construction and concrete work to vineyard leadership—embodies what it means to grow through grit and curiosity. He shares stories of mentorship under longtime vineyard legend John Tankersley, his philosophy of farming alongside his crew, and the techniques he employs—water conservation, cover crops, integrated pest management—to farm profitably while leaving the smallest environmental footprint possible.

Across both episodes, listeners gain insights into:

How multi-generational family farms adapt across decades of change.

The parallels between Sonoma’s sustainability goals and the Midwest’s regenerative agriculture movement.

The mindset of vineyard managers who balance heritage, quality, and innovation.

The personal stories that keep family farming—and the passion for the land—alive.

From Dan’s century-old family farm to Kris’s craftsmanship in every vine, these episodes reveal that farming excellence is both art and science—no matter the crop or coast.

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