Cecil O. De Loach Jr.
Cecil O. De Loach Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 14, 1938 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Grape cultivator, winemaker |
| Known for | Founder and President of De Loach Vineyards; founder of Hook & Ladder Winery |
Cecil O. De Loach Jr. (born September 14, 1938, in Montgomery, Alabama) is a prominent grape cultivator and winemaker based in California, specifically within the Russian River Valley AVA. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the viticultural prestige of Sonoma County.
Personal history
Prior to embarking on his path in viniculture, De Loach served as a sharpshooter in the United States Marine Corps, worked as a race-track photographer at Golden Gate Fields, held a private pilot license, and earned a degree in Anthropology from San Francisco State University. His upbringing took place in Macon, GA, where he attended military school until his family relocated to San Francisco in 1945. He completed his secondary education at Lincoln High School in 1956.
Wine career
De Loach began his involvement with grape cultivation in 1970 by acquiring the 24-acre Barbieri Ranch located in Santa Rosa, CA for roughly $60,000. This vineyard was originally established by Itilo Barbieri in 1905 and included heritage Zinfandel vines passed down from Itilo’s son, Louis.
In 1973, he purchased an additional 17-acre property at 1791 Olivet Road where he planted varieties such as Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Gewurztraminer. This site also contained older vineyards with mixed grape varieties along with orchards bearing diverse fruits and nuts, which became the cornerstone of what evolved into De Loach Vineyards.
De Loach was an innovator in merging ecological sustainability with conventional farming techniques. His approach incorporated native cover crops, drip irrigation systems, frost mitigation strategies, permanent ground cover cultivation, and fostering beneficial wildlife habitats—advancing sustainable agricultural practices. His wife Christine contributed to drafting California’s inaugural Code of Sustainable Winegrowing in 1999. By 2000, De Loach Vineyards earned recognition as the first Sonoma County winery certified under Fish Friendly Farming standards.
The winery’s initial commercial release consisted of approximately 1,000 cases of Zinfandel from Barbieri Ranch made in 1975 using leased facilities in Santa Rosa. The original winery buildings on Olivet Road began operations incrementally from 1979, producing Zinfandel alongside Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Gewurztraminer, White Zinfandel, and Pinot noir-blanc.
Following his retirement from Station 10 of the San Francisco Fire Department’s hook & ladder company in 1982, De Loach dedicated himself fully to expanding De Loach Vineyards. The portfolio grew to encompass Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon blanc (Fume Blanc), Merlot, Pinot gris, Viognier, Sangiovese as well as late harvest and reserve selections. A major upgrade occurred in 1996 with the addition of a crush facility capable of processing 250,000 cases annually and handling over 100 tons of grapes per day at Olivet Road. Esteemed winemakers who trained there include Bob Cabral of Three Sticks and Randy Ullom of Kendall-Jackson Winery.
As Founder and President of De Loach Vineyards, he also took leadership roles within key industry organizations such as the Sonoma County Wineries Association (now Sonoma County Vintners), the Sonoma County Vintners Coop, and the Russian River Wine Road (currently known as Wine Road). He developed multiple enduring labels including De Loach Vineyards, Hartman Lane Vineyards and Winery, Sonoma Cuvee, and Hook & Ladder—the latter initially launched as a port-style wine under his "OFS" reserve series.
At its zenith, De Loach Vineyards produced up to 250,000 cases annually while managing or leasing more than 1,000 acres of vineyards throughout the Russian River Valley. Prominent single-vineyard sites comprised Papera Ranch, Pelletti Ranch, Gambogi Ranch, Saitone Ranch, and Barbieri Ranch—all historic Zinfandel vineyards established between the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Divestiture of the De Loach Vineyards Brand
In November 2003, De Loach transferred ownership of the De Loach Vineyards brand along with the original winery property to Boisset Family Estates for $17.5 million. This transaction occurred shortly before De Loach completed an eight-month reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Despite this sale, Cecil De Loach and his agricultural enterprise, Sweetwater Land & Cattle Company, maintained control over the majority of his vineyard assets.
Recent Endeavors
December 2004 marked the establishment of C & C Wine Company by De Loach, a custom-crush facility situated at The Saitone Ranch on Olivet Road, which features a historic Zinfandel vineyard dating back to 1895. During the same month, he sold a crush facility with a capacity of 250,000 cases located at 2120 Olivet Road to Derek Benham of Sonoma Wine Company (currently Purple Wine + Spirits) for $6.2 million.
In May 2005, Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane purchased Hartman Lane Vineyards and Winery from De Loach for $3.6 million. This property, consisting of an 18-acre Pinot noir vineyard and winery, was subsequently rebranded as Benovia Winery. Prior to De Loach’s tenure, this location was home to Merry Vintners, the esteemed Pinot noir label created by winemaker Merry Edwards. Meanwhile, Hook & Ladder Winery continues to produce the Hartman Lane Pinot noir label.
Hook & Ladder Winery
Established in 2005 by Cecil De Loach and his wife Christine, Hook & Ladder Winery is a family-operated wine producer located at 2134 Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, California, within the Russian River Valley region of Sonoma County. The current winemaker is Jason De Loach, Cecil’s grandson, who previously held the position of cellar master at both Dutton-Goldfield Winery and Balletto Vineyards. Michael De Loach served as president until October 2016 and brought prior executive experience from his time at De Loach Vineyards.
As an estate winery, Hook & Ladder manages sustainable cultivation of all its grape varieties, oversees wine production, and performs bottling on-site. The grapes are primarily sourced from Sweetwater Land & Cattle Co., owned by Cecil De Loach, which manages 375 acres of vineyards within the Russian River Valley.
Hook & Ladder produces blends incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and Carignane. It also offers single-varietal wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Zinfandel, and Gewurztraminer. Annual output is approximately 25,000 cases. Furthermore, the company produces extra virgin olive oil from its Los Amigos Ranch located in Healdsburg. Hook & Ladder also owns four additional wine brands: Hartman Lane Vineyards & Winery, Tuscan Ridge, Sweetwater, and Four Rows.