Chesterfield Cellars
Welcome to Chesterfield Cellars, where the journey to making our own wine began over fifteen years ago. We, Linda and David Chesterfield, have embarked on this adventure, which has been driven by our shared passion for exceptional wines and a dream of creating something extraordinary.
Our love affair with fine wines and the intricacy of winemaking began long before we met. Following our own intrigues from wine appreciation courses and international travel, to immersive experiences at local California wineries, it was clear that once our lives finally intertwined, our future together was destined to be in the wine industry. But the desire to uncork our very own bottle of wine has taken us down an unconventional, yet enriching path into the world of wine... and we've enjoyed every step of the way.
In 1992, we launched Gold Medal Wine Club, one of the very first direct-to-consumer “of-the-month clubs”, with the vision to connect wine enthusiasts across the country with hidden gems from small, family-owned wineries. And after the very first shipment, we knew it was a hit. But even with the success of procuring some of the best wines on the market through ‘the club’, we couldn’t shake the dream of owning the winemaking process from start to finish.
In 2005, we decided to jump in with both feet and Chesterfield Cellars became a reality. We set out to create a niche winery known for quality, rather than an entity that, depending on the year, may or may not produce great wines. Since starting and owning a winery is no small feat, we both agreed that a major investment in either land or equipment wasn’t the route we wanted to take. Ultimately we decided to wait until exceptional fruit could be found that would guarantee the wine produced would have the potential for success. If we couldn’t locate the fruit, we would simply pass on that year. (Plus, neither of us wanted to wait the years it would take to find the right land and plant our own vines!)
Our vision and the distinction we were after led us to team up with renowned winemaker, Andrew Murray to release Chesterfield Cellars’ inaugural 2005 vintage. After its debut, the critical acclaim it garnered only fueled our desire to continue making wine under our own label. We began seeing some amazing wines coming out of the areas around San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, and specifically the Sta. Rita Hills AVA and decided these up-and-coming AVAs would become our focus. We got together with our current winemaker, Nick Morello (of Morello Wines) to produce our next releases and began to track the fruit that was available. Needless to say, we were amazed by the caliber of the fruit and the diverse terroir these regions offered.
We’ve always been inspired by family-owned and operated wineries, so it was fitting that our own family be involved wherever possible. Our son, Brett, and daughter-in-law, Carly, played instrumental roles in bringing our former tasting room, Corks ’n Crowns, to life in Santa Barbara’s vibrant ‘Funk Zone’. Meanwhile, our daughter, Kelsey, spearheads our marketing and design efforts.
With every sip of our hand-crafted wines, we’re reminded of the road that brought us here. Our commitment to exceptional wines and the stories behind them continues to guide us. We invite you to be a part of our journey, savoring every sip and discovering the heart and soul we pour into each bottle of Chesterfield Cellars wine. Raise your glass to the power of dreams, family, dedication, and the joy of sharing exquisite wines. Cheers!
