Winemaking Team
Anthony Gallegos
Winemaker
A string of unexpected events lead Anthony Gallegos to Paso Robles. Anthony likes to say that he didn’t pick Paso Robles—it picked him. Anthony joined the Le Vigne family in 2016 as Cellar Master. His talent and dedication have been unparalleled, as he progressed first to Assistant Winemaker, and then to Winemaker. We are thrilled with the passion, skill, and creativity that Anthony brings to his role as Winemaker for Le Vigne Winery.
A Southern California native, Anthony began his wine journey over fifteen years ago; first studying horticulture, which ultimately lead him to develop a passion for viticulture and wine.
Involved in wine production throughout California, and within the Rioja region of Spain, Anthony has winemaking experience with a broad range of grape varietals—from Pinot Noir and Syrah in the cooler climates of Santa Rita Hills, to Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat in the hotter regions of Paso Robles. Anthony worked with Richard Sanford, a pioneer of Pinot Noir within the Santa Rita Hills, at Alma Rosa in 2014, and there he learned to adopt sustainable vineyard practices.
In winemaking, Anthony strives to balance the intricacies of both wine production and grape growing, in order to create wines of structure and depth that portray characteristics of our unique Estrella District terroir. Anthony’s whole-hearted belief is that great wine is made in the vineyard. Through intensive vineyard practices, he targets lower yields in order to grow the highest quality fruit; and therefore, produce rich, bold, balanced, and elegant wines.
Terry Culton
Consulting Winemaker
Terry Culton has been making acclaimed wines for over 20 years. His early story is one of many great Mentors... beginning with Ken Volk at Wild Horse. Ken is one of the true Mavericks of the Central Coast, starting Wild Horse when there were only a handful of wineries in the area. Ken's generosity, skill, and passion for wine helped launch the ship.... the Muse of Pinot Noir set Terry off on his Odyssey along the West Coast.
Terry traveled on the “Pinot Trail” working in the Anderson Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley before moving to Hollister to work with the iconic Josh Jensen at Calera. Josh is a visionary of Pinot Noir. He pioneered the varietal in the United States and has created some of the most inspired and exciting wines from those plantings.
Drawn by the Siren Song of Old-Vine Pinot Noir, Terry left Calera and returned to Paso Robles to work with HMR’s (Hoffman Mountain Ranch) vast plantings of Rhone Varietals. For 10 years, he honed his unique style of vineyard-driven, well-balanced wines. In the search for greater creative freedom, it was time to launch Culton Wines. With a Pinot Noir heart and a Rhone soul, Terry produced all Culton wines from ultra-premium Central Coast grapes. Hand-made in small lots and unfiltered, the results are elegant and food-friendly manifestations of terroir.
In his first year at Le Vigne, he received 98 points and a double gold award from Sunset Magazine for our Le Vigne Paso 2019 Rosé of Sangiovese. Le Vigne is looking forward to what Terry brings in terms of creativity and experience to our Estate wines.
Winemaking Contacts:
Anthony Gallegos
Winemaker
a.gallegos@levignewinery.com