Lance Blakeley -
Vineyard Manager
Responsible for managing 105 acres of estate vineyards and working
with the 12 Sonoma County growers that supply Pedroncelli Winery
with grapes, vineyard manager Lance Blakeley is a busy guy.
Blakeley grew up in Sonoma County and attended Santa Rosa Junior
College, where he earned certification as an automotive machinist.
He worked as an auto mechanic for five years before joining Pedroncelli
Winery in 1988 as maintenance supervisor.
In between keeping the winery's bottling line, pumps and tractors
running smoothly, Blakeley began working in the vineyards under
the tutelage of wine master John Pedroncelli. He also returned
to Santa Rosa Junior College to earn a degree in viticulture and
took courses in vineyard management from University of California
at Davis.
As his vineyard knowledge increased, so did his role in the vineyards.
He helped replant a sizable portion of the estate vineyard in 1992
and supervised a smaller replanting six years later, in both cases
utilizing modern trellises to enhance fruit quality.
Appointed vineyard manager in 1998, Blakeley continues to work
closely with John Pedroncelli. "His knowledge of these vineyards
and Dry Creek Valley are invaluable," he remarks. "I'm
still learning from him."
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