Chaine d’Or - Honoring Tradition and Celebrating Change

Photo by Dasja Dolan

Chaine d’Or is a small winery in Woodside, and we have news to celebrate.

First, it’s the 20th anniversary of our vineyard! Our founders, Anne and Jerry Anderson, planted our first grapes in 1987, and we’ve been producing about 400 cases a year ever since. Since we are so very small, we have been able to indulge our passion for quality in every aspect of the wine. Nothing is spared in our effort to produce the finest possible result from our terroir. And we’ve maintained a strong commitment to keep prices moderate, so that more people can enjoy our wines.

Much in the tradition of the small European vigneron, we grow grapes and make wine primarily for local people and the occasional visitor who happens to find us. And, in the same tradition, word of our quality product has spread via the – ahem – grapevine. We’ve been winning awards and gaining in popularity. We’ve also been doing almost all of our own work. Anne has been the winemaker and Jerry has been driving the tractor.

Which brings us to the second bit of news to celebrate. On the occasion of Jerry’s 70th birthday, we have decided to stop doing a lot of the things we have been doing. No more tractoring, no more crawling inside the tanks and presses to clean them, no more lifting boxes and barrels. No more farming, no more winemaking.   In short, Anne and Jerry are becoming Winemaker and Farmer Emeritus, and we are passing the torch.

Paul and Stefania Romero of Stefania Wine will be taking over all of the management and operations of Chaine d’Or.  They intend to continue the Chaine d’Or label, as well as produce wine under their own label, Stefania. Paul and Stefania have been tending vineyards in the appellation and making a little wine for several years now.  So not only do they bring experience, they also bring a vital cocktail of youth, energy, and vigor to extract the very best from our twenty-year-old vines.  They’re used to doing the work themselves too! Pruning in the cold wet winter, thinning in the 100-degree heat of summer and everything in between.

According to the Romeros, having the experience in the vineyard has actually opened a lot of doors for them with local winemakers, who “look at our dirty worn boots and know we’re serious about making wine.”

We hope that all of you will join with us with a very big welcome to them.