Bill & Tiki Spell
Proprietors
Bill and Tiki Spell founded Spell Estate in 2006, and produced their first vintage that next year. Inspired by their love of Pinot Noir, the Spell’s are committed to delivering the highest expression of Pinot Noir without forfeiting the integrity and beauty of the varietal. Each bottling showcases the nuances of the individual vineyard – from soil type to coastal and mountain influence – The Spell’s focus on the vineyards themselves, not just the end-product.
Natives of Minnesota, Bill and Tiki are avid collectors of wines from all over the world, but are most passionate about Pinot Noir. The aromatic and fruit-forward style of California Pinot Noir, brought them out West. “Pinot is one of the most finicky grapes there is,” he says. “That poses a challenge, but also has a big reward to it.”
Justin Harmon
Winemaker
Pinot Noir is an ancient variety of grape with beautiful, black, pinecone-shaped clusters of fruit that produces some of the finest wines in the world. It’s difficult to grow and even more difficult to transform into extraordinary wine and Justin is perfectly suited to the task.
After graduating with a Chemical Engineering degree, Justin’s winemaking path sprang forth from the co-mingling of a growing passion for wine with his applied science background. After several seasons as a seasonal worker in each of the 2005-2007 Sonoma County harvests, to pursue his desire of becoming a winemaker, Justin moved from his native home of the upper-Midwest to California. Today, with over a decade of experience, along with significant recognition in the national wine press, Justin arrives aptly suited to carry on Spell Estate’s tradition of excellence.