Winemaker Profile:

MARGO VAN STAAVEREN

by Sue Straight, the Wine Wench
Margo Van Staaveren really loves what she does – I could hear the smile in her voice as I interviewed her over the phone. “Chateau St. Jean is a very special place – everyone who works here is passionate about our wines, and the site is absolutely beautiful!” she told me enthusiastically.
The harvest of 2008 will mark her 29th at Chateau St. Jean. In an industry where people change jobs like Elizabeth Taylor changes husbands, that is really saying a lot, both for Margo and for Chateau St. Jean.
When I asked Margo what her favorite aspects of her job were, she replied, “This may sound silly, but I really love tasting wine! Some days, I’ll taste only a few wines, other days, I’ll taste over twenty – it just depends on the day. I also love traveling around the country, pouring our wines and educating people about Sonoma County.” Margo travels a lot – she is on the road several weeks a year. At home, Margo enjoys spending quality time with her family.
Margo graduated from University of California at Davis in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Fermentation Science. Margo is a forerunner of a new generation of female winemakers that are making their mark in winemaking history.
Shortly after graduation, she joined Chateau St. Jean as a Laboratory Technician in 1980. By 1989, she had worked her way to being named Assistant Winemaker and later named Associate Winemaker. Margo was named Winemaker and Director of Operations for Chateau St. Jean in August of 2003.
Margo believes that great wines are grown and she is fastidious about choosing the best vineyards to source her fruit. She says “Since no two vintages are alike, it gives us the opportunity to carefully search for the vineyard lots that offer the biggest fruit expression and the ability to age in order to create a wine that truly captures the best of the vintage.” She also believes that blending is an art. To her, one of the greatest accomplishments is to create a wine style or signature blend that comes from vintage to vintage while still capturing the uniqueness of that particular growing year.
Chateau St. Jean produces between 350,000 and 400,000 cases a year and roughly half of that is their renowned Sonoma County Chardonnay (yum!). The other varietals include Viognier, Riesling (and late harvest Riesling, too), Fumé Blanc, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (including the famous Cinq Cépages Cabernet Sauvignon). Most of these wines are vineyard designated and available only at the winery. Of the 30 wines that Margo and her crew carefully craft, only 10 wines are available for national distribution.
Margo encourages everyone to come to the winery to visit and taste the fruits of her labor. She is proud of her wines (as she should be!) and she feels that the hospitality staff at Chateau St. Jean does a fantastic job educating people about her wines and the winery.
The visitor’s center and acclaimed gardens are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information about Chateau St. Jean and Margo Van Staaveren, visit the website at www.chateaustjean.com.

Related Information

• Chateau St. Jean