Historic wine legacy honored at Santa Rosa winery

When Anthony Beckman and Alissa Lind decided to launch a winery in 2013, inspiration wasn’t hard to find.

During her youth, Lind recalls hearing stories about her “famous” great-great-uncle William Cruess who had “something to do with wine and grapes.”

What she didn’t realize, was that Cruess was instrumental in reviving California’s wine industry after Prohibition. His book, “The Principles and Practices of Winemaking” (1934) became the essential, commercial winemaking guide after Repeal — and remains a textbook still in use at UC Davis today.

“Early on, Cruess became the guy winemakers like Robert Mondavi and Charles Krug would go to for advice,” said Beckman. “Everyone had lost so much winemaking knowledge during the 18 years of Prohibition, so his expertise was really valued. He’s even listed in the Oxford Companion to Wine!”

Cruess’ wife, Marie, was a talented artist, and her work was displayed in Lind’s house during her childhood and now in her own home.

“One evening, Anthony and I were staring at one her paintings and thought — that would make a great wine label,” said Lind. “That’s when we said, hey, let’s start a winery that incorporates my great-great-uncle’s story and Marie’s artwork. It just made sense.”

The journey to Wine Country

Beckman and Lind met in the early 2000s while working at a small biotech startup in San Francisco. Yearning for quietude, the pair made frequent trips to Sonoma County where they’d drink in the wine and bucolic countryside.

“We’re both from small towns, so we really wanted to escape the city and get out into the open,” said Lind. “When we came to Sonoma County, it was like a breath of fresh air. Everyone was so friendly. We just fell in love with it.”

Back in San Francisco, Beckman and Lind were sitting in their cramped apartment one evening when they finally came to a conclusion: it was time to make a change.

“At that moment, we decided we would no longer do what was easy to do. We would do what we wanted to do," said Beckman. “Within three weeks, I quit my job in the city to do a harvest internship at Quivira winery in Dry Creek Valley. That where I fell in love with winemaking.”

After additional internships in New Zealand, Napa Valley and at Peay Vineyards in Annapolis, Beckman was hired as winemaker for Balletto Vineyards in Santa Rosa, a role he’s held since 2007.

A new generation of Cruess

Beckman and Lind knew they wanted to launch their own wine label. It was just a matter of “when.”

In 2014, Beckman began touring a few a vineyards to see if they felt like a good fit for the new brand. That’s when he discovered some fiano grapes at Bowland Vineyard in the Russian River Valley.

“Alissa and I used to drink a lot of fiano in the early 2000s, so I was excited to find some planted in the Russian River Valley,” said Beckman. “It’s an Italian grape that has some weight and a savoriness, and it paired with every food we ate. When I came across that fiano vineyard, I knew it would make Cruess’ wine number one.”

From the start, Beckman said Balletto Vineyards’ owner John Balletto was “super supportive” of the Cruess wine brand and assured Beckman he would never be forced to sign a noncompete clause.

“The whole Balletto family has been so supportive since Day One,” said Beckman. “John has allowed me to make Cruess’ wine at the Balletto facility, so I never have to hop in my car and check on a barrel somewhere. Everything is right there.”

Not too big, not too small

Today, Cruess produces about 1,100 cases of wine per year, with a laser focus on Sonoma County-sourced fruit and wines Beckman and Lind love to drink.

“We are 100% Sonoma County, so for us it all comes down to buying local, eating local and drinking local,” said Beckman. “There are so many top-level growers here. We don’t want to go anywhere else.”

While Beckman admitted varieties like pinot noir are out of their price range, he prefers to produce “statement wines” that stand out from the crowd. That means skin-fermented gewurztraminer, Provençal-style grenache rosé, old vine chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast and more.

“Our focus isn’t on certain varietals, but rather on producing wines that show purity, authenticity and thoughtfulness,” said Beckman. “I want our wines to make people say, wow, someone worked really hard to make this wine. That’s what we’re after.”

Given Beckman’s winemaking role at Balletto Vineyards, there isn’t immense financial pressure to expand the Cruess brand. For now, Lind — who manages the business side of Cruess — and Beckman plan to take things slow.

“It’s so important that we find the right vineyards and the right people to work with, so we can make the wines we want to. That is going to take some time,” said Beckman. “At the end of the day, I want our wines to be a statement about Sonoma County and what we think is beautiful and delicious – all in one package.”

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Sarah on Instagram at @whiskymuse.