Skipstone vineyards with mustard flowers

Steep terraced vineyards at Skipstone

Almost akin to a dream being realized, he saw the steepest slope ever, filled with beautifully maintained Cabernet Sauvignon vines comfortably nestled in carved terraces. This sight was truly remarkable for this self-made telecom pioneer, who had traversed the world and experienced various forms of natural beauty. Initially, he had no intentions to make wine but the overpowering elegance of this estate was a seductive call he could not refuse. Within an hour, he became the owner of the property.

Fahri Diner, a man always ready for a challenge and consistently dreaming big, even without the necessary wealth and connections. His origins trace back to Cyprus, an island country to the east of Greece where he grew up in a farming family with a fondness for making olive oil. An academic scholarship gave him the opportunity to go to the U.S. and study Electrical Engineering at Florida Tech, leading to the founding of Qtera, a fiber-optic company that later sold for $3.25 billion. Fahri, after numerous business ventures post Qtera, desired another passion that would connect him with his familial roots. He wanted to get back to small-scale farming and produce high-quality crops, similar to the olive oil made by his family. The big question was, would he remain in Florida, return to Cyprus, or find a ranch in the beautiful state of California?

View of terraced vineyards from the Residence at Skipstone

Fahri did what he always did when having to make a big decision. He went to a lake and skipped a stone; if it skipped three times, he would go to California and look for a ranch to reconnect to his farming roots. It was three times, hence, his two-year journey seeking out a unique property throughout California, from as south as Santa Barbara to as north as Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, began. Most people told him Napa was the place to be but Fahri has always trusted his instincts and didn’t see any properties that felt right. One day, in 2001, someone told him about a property in the Alexander Valley area in Sonoma County. When he had that moment of coming over the crest of the road, taking in those terraced vineyards on an extremely steep slope, he knew that this was the place, especially since there were olive trees so that he could make olive oil.

At first, he sold the grapes from the vineyards to local wineries eager to get them. Still, it bothered him that these rare vineyards were not getting the acknowledgment they deserved. So, he hired a team of experts, such as winemaker Philippe Melka, a true living legend in the wine industry, to express the place’s unique terroir and aptly take on the name Skipstone as a wine producer. Reconnecting to his roots while combining it with his love for the U.S., his second home that has given him so much opportunity, has led to the completion of the Skipstone winery. The journey began in earnest with the hiring of rising winemaking star Laura Jones as the head winemaker.

Landscape view with terraced vineyards and Skipstone estate during winter

Alexander Valley may not be a household name for Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Still, it is considered by many in the California wine industry to be one of the most important wine regions for Cabernet Sauvignon, only second to Napa Valley. Many well-known wine producers source Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Alexander Valley, giving little attention to the place, and there are some ultra-premium Cabernet producers with Alexander Valley on their labels. Still, the wine producer often sticks with customers, while Alexander Valley often goes unnoticed. But that was part of what drew Fahri to this place; it was an underdog such as himself, and it deserved someone who would show its full potential.

Laura Jones

His new head winemaking star, Laura Jones, is also an underdog who built a pedigree based on intelligence, talent and hard work, as she is originally from Wyoming but was able to get herself on the track of going into medical research in California, but when she was looking into grad schools, an encounter with someone in the wine world placed her on another path. So, she graduated from the prestigious graduate program in Viticulture and Enology from U.C. Davis and then went on to not only work in stellar wineries in California, such as Aubert Wines and Cliff Lede, but also spent some time in New Zealand and in Burgundy, France, at Domaine Armand Rousseau to give her an international perspective as well.

Even though there are only 27 acres of vineyards out of the 200-acre estate, the first thing Laura wanted to do was to employ precision viticulture practices by assessing the nuanced differences of each plot. So she installed three weather stations, one on the steeper hillside, one near the flatter part of the vineyards and one halfway up the hillside. During the summertime, there can be a seven to eight-degree difference between some parcels.

Laura Jones at the sorting table

One of the things that Laura loves about Skipstone, other than their exceptional vineyards, is that they employ a full-time vineyard crew. This is unusual as most vineyards hire temporary crews during the busiest seasons. Because Skipstone operates a 180-degree amphitheater with a high 60% slope, there’s constant work throughout the year due to the challenging terrain. Skipstone’s vineyard manager, Juan Alcantara, has stayed onboard for 16 years, and half of the crew have been around for 15 years, a testament to the stability which is uncommon in the ever-changing wine business. Laura values this stability because it allows consistent collaboration with the same team for refining vineyard management. This organic way of working has earned them a CCOF certification since 2008. Laura looks forward to bringing more precision to the expression of each parcel, focusing in on the rocky soils that provide more concentration, the gravel where Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc excel, and the clay-rich plots that are well suited to Merlot and Malbec.

Woman making notes in a field

Philippe Melka will continue as a consulting winemaker but Fahri understood the necessity to hire a full-time head winemaker like Laura to take their wines to a new level. He admired Laura’s admirable educational background and work history, and found it even more impressive because she started with none of the usual business advantages. Fahri values those who demonstrate passion and dedication beyond just having pedigree. Laura’s commitment to her work, coupled with being married to Skipstone’s general manager, Brian Ball, ensures her full dedication to the winery’s success.

It’s not always smooth sailing in any marriage, particularly when both parties want their own success. Laura and Brian have navigated this journey of self-accomplishment since their meeting at U.C. Davis years ago. There’s no guarantee that a winery team will remain intact; it’s almost inevitable that people will come and go. This can cause setbacks in progress as new team dynamics take shape and try to achieve extraordinary output. Despite these challenges, Laura, having tasted the exquisite wines of Skipstone and seen their remarkable vineyards, decided to align her journey with them.

Residence at Skipstone from a bird’s eye view

The splendour of Skipstone is now available for experience through staycations at the ‘Residence at Skipstone’. It offers visitors the life of a vintner with unmatched luxury. Originally, the residence was home to Fahri, Constance and their little children. Their former abode mirrors a European castle with exterior stones sourced from the property, and each sink cut and polished from a single boulder found within the estate. It’s spectacular to see the breathtaking facets of this 8,344 square foot home that houses five en suite bedrooms and a gourmet kitchen. However, Fahri and family moved back to Switzerland for their children to grow up amidst relatives. Now the residence is up for booking that can accommodate up to ten guests. Their estate director can arrange for everything from top restaurant reservations, winery tours, access to the Mayacama Country Club’s golf course, and wine tasting at the residence. The wine tasting not only includes Skipstone wines but also those from Fahri’s personal cellar, with a wide selection of old Bordeaux, Napa and Sonoma producers from early 1990s to 2000s and a variety of Champagne being some of the highlighted features.

More improvements are underway at Skipstone with a second floor being added to their winery as a vibrant hospitality centre. They are deeply committed to sustainability and anticipate becoming the fourth winery to receive the Platinum certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as all their projects will be powered by 100% renewable energy.

Lineup of Skipstone wines

2021 Skipstone, Preface Proprietary Red Blend, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of various Cabernet Sauvignon parcels on the estate. Preface is a selection from Cabernet Sauvignon vines that make a wine that drinks well at an earlier stage and it is at an approachable price point, so it is a great introduction to the Skipstone portfolio. This wine also allows for a stricter selection for their flagship, Oliver’s Blend. Lovely balance with red cherries and black raspberries with hints of broken earth and a beautiful texture finishing with a pretty floral quality.

2021 Skipstone, Malbec, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California: 100% Malbec. Since they have a fair amount of Malbec that does really well in the clay-dominant parcels, they wanted to make a varietal bottling of Malbec to showcase that particular section. Laura loves the “inherent deliciousness” of their Malbec as they go out of their way to thin the crop, sometimes 50%, to get the highest quality. Yet, she balances out the fruit’s generosity by placing a portion of the wine in amphora, which brings out a savory quality. Decadent dark fruit with juicy blueberry and plum tart on the palate with a hint of allspice and dry herbs with a silky texture and long, flavorful finish.

2021 Skipstone, Ripple Effect, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon with 8% Merlot, mainly from the Skipstone estate vineyards, with a tiny portion coming from another plot on the hillside outside of their estate. This wine is called Ripple Effect because they sourced a small amount from a hillside outside of their estate, it is the ripple effect of Skipstone emanating out of their vineyards. This wine illustrates the parcels on the estate that have more mountain fruit quality, which has slightly firmer tannins and high-toned fruit; hence, why they sourced outside fruit that would help highlight those qualities. Cocoa nibs and sandalwood incense on the nose with black cherry skins and broader tannins give more structure and shape with a vibrant and well-focused finish.

2021 Skipstone, Faultline Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California: A mixture of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This blend is inspired by the Right Bank, encompassing Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The proportions vary annually and these parcels are found along a fault line. The Mayacamas fault line, prevalent throughout their property, is among the most active in the area, benefiting them by releasing pressure and minimizing the likelihood of future catastrophes. The U.S. Geologic Survey maintains three permanent installations at Skipstone, classifying it as an official earthquake monitoring station. The aromas immerse you in a forest walk with scents of tree bark and morels, complemented by elegant red and black fruit flavors. There’s a fine-laced structure leading to a long, expressive conclusion, leaving images of wildflowers in the mind.

2021 Skipstone Oliver’s Blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, compiled from a few parcels on the property. This wine primarily consists of the oldest vines on the terraced hillside and a small portion from a couple blocks on the non-terraced slope. In 2019, the harvest was limited, yielding only 2,000 cases. The opulent texture of this wine is truly awe-inspiring. The superior mouthfeel coupled with the intricate aromas of crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, and untouched fruit render this wine a spectacle of beauty.