Orchestrator of Happiness

At around six years old, Rob picked his very first grapes on Rhinefarm while riding around in his dad’s pickup truck. When he grew a little older, he worked full-time during his summer breaks from school out in the vineyard. His responsibilities included cultivating and plowing the vineyards, installing irrigation piping, pruning, tying vines, and a wide assortment of other grape farming activities.

After graduating from the University of San Francisco with a B.S. in Marketing, Rob worked for Gundlach Bundschu Winery as the National Sales Manager. A couple of years later, he felt it was time to return to the vineyard, where he helped develop hillside land for a 60 acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard planting. Following this, he decided to take a long sabbatical and would spend the next decade or so traveling, working, and learning about how the world worked — spending time in Florida and Southern California before returning home to the Bay Area and Sonoma.

Today he is back with the winery and serves as the Orchestrator of Happiness, giving public tours, welcoming visitors, doing trade tours, off-site trade events, and contributing in other areas of the business where needed.

In his personal time, Rob enjoys going to the movies and finding peace in the present moment.

Joe Uhr, Director of Winemaking

A Fourth generation Sonoma County native, Director of Winemaking Joe Uhr has always seen wine as a centerpiece of family tradition. “Food and wine were such an important part of my family gatherings from the earliest moments I can remember,” he recalls. Joe’s first experience in the cellar came during college while working for cult-favorite Bonny Doon in Santa Cruz. Although he was enrolled as a Marine Biology major and had dreams of traveling the world and diving in oceans, that first harvest, everything clicked. “Intertwining the personal and passion with science, and being able to work with my hands, it all made sense.” An extended trip to Europe post-graduation solidified his appreciation of the relationship between food, wine, culture, and celebration, and from there he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

The next decade, Joe worked in winery positions across Sonoma and Napa, solidifying his roots and learning to respect the heritage and traditions. Before joining Gundlach Bundschu, Joe worked as a part of the winemaking team at Duckhorn in Napa Valley, and while he enjoyed working with some of the best vineyards in the valley, he found himself missing the rich history and culture in Sonoma.

In 2015, Joe joined the GB team as Assistant Winemaker. “I instantly fell in love with the history, culture, and reverence for the people who came before. I really felt like my whole career had led me to this place and this time.”

With the Bundschu family, winemaking has always been a collaborative approach between the vineyard, family, and winemaker. There is a respect for mother nature and understanding that each year, she is in control. Today, working with our CCOF Organic certified estate, Joe focuses on listening to what the vineyard is telling him to create the purest expression of our organically grown estate wines. “Throughout my time here I’ve learned that the more you understand the nuances of a vineyard the more it rewards you. It’s like reading your favorite book over and over again. You pick up something new each time and it’s really beautiful.”

Executive Winemaker

When Keith Emerson joined Gundlach Bundschu Winery as winemaker in December 2008, it was a sort of homecoming. A 1999 graduate of University of California at Davis, he served as Gundlach Bundschu associate winemaker from 2000 to 2004. He returns to the estate with a honed vision and proven experience to match his passion for the site.

After earning his degree, Keith spent a year at Cakebread Cellars before joining Gundlach Bundschu. In 2004, he worked a harvest at Palliser Estate in Martinborough, New Zealand, before returning to Northern California and becoming Director of Winemaking for Vineyard 29 in St. Helena, CA.

At Vineyard 29, Keith works closely with consultant Philippe Melka on the Vineyard 29 and Aida Estate wines and directs all aspects of winemaking for the CRU portfolio of wines.  He also oversees the winemaking programs for a number of custom-crush clients, such as Melka Wines and Skipstone Ranch, and works with several respected growers, including David Abreu, Mike Wolf, Jim Barbour, Piña Vineyard Management and Silverado Farming Company, among others.

Keith also consults for Robert Craig, Martin Ray, Vinoce, Levensohn, Knighton Family Vineyards and produces his own label of artisan Cabernet Sauvignon, Emerson Brown, as well as his own label of Shea Vineyard, Oregon Pinot Noir called Sonria.

It is Keith’s experience with these diverse vineyards that has inspired his return to Gundlach Bundschu.

“My goal as a winemaker is to tell the story of each vineyard site,” Emerson said. “I know the Gundlach Bundschu estate, and I believe strongly in its potential to produce stellar wines. I am extremely motivated to work with Jeff and the team to take these wines to the highest quality level.”

Keith lives in Napa, CA. and enjoys trail running and spending time with his two beautiful children.

Katie Bundschu, 6th Generation Winegrower

As a sixth generation vintner, Katie Bundschu always knew she would be involved in wine. It just took some time for her to determine when. As a youngster she was involved in various aspects of the business, including pruning and tying vines, harvesting grapes and working in both the tasting room and marketing department.

Katie attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, and decided after college to work in higher education. She spent years in fundraising and donor relations for the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Colorado, Boulder before being drawn back to Sonoma. In April of 2012, Katie returned on a full-time basis to her family business.

“I am constantly inspired by the dedication and resolve of my family throughout the generations. I take pride in my family history and want to be sure to share it with anyone who can appreciate not only an amazing bottle of wine, but the story that accompanies it.”

Katie strives to continue the legacy and history of her family by creating distinctive, iconic wines that define the highest standards in Sonoma, all while having fun and enjoying the process along the way.

Jim Bundschu is the quintessential down-to-earth farmer, completely devoted to the Sonoma County vineyard land cultivated by four generations before him. Growing up on Gundlach Bundschu Winery’s Rhinefarm, he was so mesmerized by his walk through the vineyards on his way to school that he never doubted he would carry on his family’s tradition. Today he still works closely with his son, Jeff Bundschu, who serves as president.

After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics, Bundschu returned to the winery to undertake the most important project it had seen in decades.

Since 1933 the winery had been closed due to Prohibition, and the grapes grown at Rhinefarm were sold to other wineries. In 1969, Jim Bundschu began the four-year project of fully replanting the vineyard to premium varietal wine grapes. In 1970, Jim was named president of the resurrected Gundlach Bundschu Winery, and in 1973 the family celebrated the first crush of the new winery.

“My highest aim is to be a good farmer,” says Jim, “one who understands the subtle nuances involved in producing grapes for exceptional wines vintage after vintage, no matter what conditions Mother Nature might produce.”

Bundschu also maintains his connection with earlier generations by living in a stone house constructed in 1906 that overlooks the vineyards. When he’s not farming grapes he prefers to stay outdoors—fishing, skiing, backpacking, flying or playing baseball. If the weather keeps him inside, he finds equal pleasure in reading and playing his saxophone.

President

Jeff Bundschu is no stranger to the lure of the vine—as a sixth-generation California vintner, wine has been in his family since 1858. Jeff was raised on the family estate in Sonoma and began working on the vineyards at 12 years old. Jeff attended college in Los Angeles, where he earned a degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California. An intrepid explorer, he traveled extensively following graduation.

In 1993, he returned to Sonoma Valley, surrendering to the powerful pull of the (fun) six-generation family business. Already knowing his way around the winery from his childhood, he took on learning sales and marketing by representing Bundschu Company and their oldest brand, Gundlach Bundschu, throughout the country. This experience convinced him that the wine industry needed to expand its outreach and approachability to a larger portion of the population, leading him to co-found The Wine Brats, an organization focused on educating a new generation of wine consumers.

In a circumstance unique to traditional family businesses, Jeff was appointed President of Gundlach Bundschu Winery in 2001, at the age of 33. His father, Jim, had similarly taken the reins at a young age, convincing his father to redefine the estate vision to meet the opportunities and challenges of the day. And so Jim handed control to Jeff, who set out to achieve a vision of Gundlach Bundschu – to be the best estate winery in Sonoma County.

Equally important to Jeff is the preservation of the open-minded and spirited culture with which the winery has long been associated—which he today brings to the parent company, Bundschu Company, its brands and experiences.

“Our life here at Bundschu Company, with its wine and good people, has always been about laughter, hard work, enjoying the inspiration that comes from being in such a beautiful place, and sharing what we have with our friends and neighbors.”

Jeff makes his home in Sonoma with his wife Elizabeth and their two children.