A native of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, Fahri speculates that an affinity for the land may be in his blood. Blessed with tranquil olive groves and idyllic, Mediterranean sunshine reminiscent of his birthplace, Skipstone Ranch inspires in Fahri an instinctive connection to the property. Born and raised amongst the rolling hills of Colorado, Jill was also drawn to the property’s natural beauty and balance. The first member of the family to set foot on Skipstone Ranch, she knew instantly that she had found a place of rare promise and possibility.

Fahri’s years as a successful entrepreneur have given him a striking ability to envision the potential of a property like Skipstone Ranch. Together with Jill, whose marketing and communications background has given her a discerning eye, Fahri believes passionately in Skipstone’s ability to produce wines that rival the quality and artistry of California’s most highly regarded wineries.

Guardians of the 200 precious acres that make up Skipstone Ranch, Fahri and Jill share a passionate commitment to the highest standards of artisan winemaking and sustainable farming, carefully nurturing the estate that has become their home.

The first time he tasted wine in California's wine country was an epiphany. He was immediately able to recognize the flavors and aromas - it was a life-changing experience for him. He soon felt a strong pull to be part of the wine industry. Andrew went on to hold several positions at wineries, working his way from the tasting room to production to assistant winemaker before he decided that he should earn a degree in enology and viticulture to add to his studies in philosophy at Amherst. He enrolled at the University of California at Davis in 1996 and after completing his studies in 1999, went on to serve as enologist at Ferrari Carano Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg. By 2004, Andrew had been appointed Associate Winemaker at PreVail. There he was able to work with a great winemaking team, headed by Philippe Melka, and came to fully understand the intuition and skill that contribute to making great wine. Andrew is thrilled to be working with Philippe again at Skipstone Ranch.

Andrew first met Fahri and Jill in 2005, and while walking the vineyards of Skipstone Ranch, once again felt an epiphany. The three share the philosophy that a vineyard will tell you what to do if you are willing to listen. Andrew believes that Skipstone Ranch has produced wines of great power and elegance that reflect the terroir of this unique vineyard and it is a dream come true for him to be the steward of this mission.

In 1991, Philippe earned his master’s degree in agronomy and enology under the direction of Professor Sequin, a renowned terroir specialist. Fascinated by the relationship between soil and wine quality, Philippe’s appreciation of this profound connection continues to this day, and is reflected in his commitment to honor the terroir of Skipstone’s vineyards above all else.

Following his studies, Philippe set out to hone his craft alongside talented winemakers such as Jean Philippe Masclef and Jean Delmas at Haut Brion, Jean Claude Berrouet and Christian Moueix at Petrus and Dominus, and Roberto Stucchi Prinnetti and Maurizio Castelli at Badia o Coltibuono, before finally settling in Napa Valley in 1994.

Today, Philippe consults for an elite collection of California wineries and vineyard sites, considering each relationship based on the beauty and promise of the property’s terroir. It was this special potential that originally drew him to Skipstone Ranch. Having first met winegrower Andrew Levi while both were working at PreVail, Philippe joined Skipstone’s winegrowing team in January, 2008. Like Andrew, Philippe’s mission at Skipstone Ranch is simple: to express the beauty of the terroir through the artistry of the winemakers.

Today, more than twenty years later and miles from where he started, Ulises owns one of Sonoma County’s most highly-regarded vineyard management companies, Valdez and Sons Vineyard Management, and has worked with such acclaimed winemakers as Mark Aubert, Jeff Cohn, Paul Hobbs, Kent Rosenblum and Rolando Herrera. Unparalleled in his meticulous attention to the vineyard and his passion for the land, Ulises knows each vine and vineyard row on the Skipstone estate intimately. Recognizing that Skipstone’s mission begins in the vineyard, Ulises works closely with winegrower Andrew Levi to cultivate wine of the very highest caliber and distinction.

A specialist in organic farming for more than 35 years, Amigo has worked closely with many of Napa and Sonoma’s most prestigious vineyards and wineries, including Shafer, Araujo, Turley and Staglin, redefining the wine industry’s image of farming and agriculture. President of Organic Ag Advisors, Amigo was a founding member of California Certified Organic Farmers, the Ecological Farming Conference and the Ecological Farming Association, among other organic groups, and helped author the California Organic Food Act of 1979.

Deeply committed to integrating sustainable, environmentally sensitive practices into all aspects of Skipstone’s vineyard, orchard and estate management, Amigo began working with the vineyard in 2003. Carefully accessing each hillside, vineyard row, creek bed and soil type individually, Amigo has developed sustainable farming standards specifically tailored to the diverse geography and terroir of Skipstone Ranch. As in nature, change on the estate has been deliberate and thoughtful, always looking to maximize the quality of fruit Skipstone cultivates, while still honoring the integrity of the earth.

Never one to follow recipes, he enjoys the excitement of picking fresh produce from the garden and cooking with whatever the harvest has to offer. Determined to pursue a fulfilling outlet for his passion, he attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where an externship brought him to Sonoma County, far from the predictability of the restaurant kitchen. Upon graduating from the Culinary Academy, Tucker earned the sous chef position at Chalk Hill, where he worked until 2006.

Today, as estate chef, olive oil maker and beekeeper at Skipstone Ranch, Tucker has found his bliss. Here he can nurture vegetables from seed to harvest, tend to the property’s pristine fruit and olive trees, and prepare dishes that preserve the fresh, natural flavors of the sustainably-farmed estate. As he says, “There is nothing like a new potato less than an hour out of the ground, cooked briefly and tossed with herbs and our fresh olive oil.” A testament to the bounty of this special corner of Sonoma, Skipstone’s extraordinary selection of ingredients and artisan estate olive oil provide Tucker with the realization of a culinary dream, and served with a glass of wine grown on the ranch, are a true celebration of all that the earth has to offer.