Richard Ward, co-founder of Saintsbury Winery, dies from transplant complications at 67

Richard Ward died Saturday in San Francisco from complications following a bone marrow transplant.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO - A winemaker who was among the first to make pinot noir and chardonnay in the Carneros region of Napa Valley has died.

Richard Ward died Saturday in San Francisco from complications following a bone marrow transplant. His business partner and friend David Graves said Ward was 67 years old.

Ward and Graves founded Saintsbury Winery in 1981 and decided to focus on Burgundy varieties in the cool southern parts of Napa Valley.

At the time, cabernet sauvignon was a well-established variety in the wine region and the pair sought to make a mark with pinot noir.

They helped Carneros develop a reputation for producing quality Chardonnays and Pinot Noir.

Ward is survived by his wife Linda and two children.

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